Reading the Lightning Thief with a Twist
by Beth2000
Summary: We have gathered you here today to read about the greatest hero. Love, The Fates. "Hercules?" Zeus questioned. Nope definitely not that jerk. Its your typical reading the Lightning thief but with a twist. I promise to finish it! Currently on A God Buys Us Cheese Burgers chapter.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi! So this is my first fanfiction and I'm doing your typical reading the lightning thief but with a twist. I hope it is written okay, if there is any mistake or you like PLEASE review so I know what to change.**_

 _ **Disclaimer I do not own Percy Jackson.**_

The war against the giants had just ended and everyone was celebrating, the two camps had been getting along great, everything was great. Every camper was thrilled to see Percy, many campers teared up and Percy admitted he might have too. Chiron was about to tell everyone to go to bed when they were sucked into a white light.

* * *

Up on Olympus the council was arguing about the usual stuff when a bright light flash over a hundred kids, and handful of satyrs and nymph, and a centaur appeared. Immediately all the chatting died down and the gods were looked confused at the group, while the group was looked confused at the gods. That was finally broken when Percy asked "What do you want now?"

Annabeth wacked Percy while everyone else stiffened giggles and said "Show some respect seaweed brain. Why did you summon us?"

The gods looked even more confused by this. Athena quickly got over her shock enough to answer, "We did not summon you, who are you?"

Now it was the campers turn to become extremely confused. Before anyone could reply four more heros appeared in a flash of light along with a dead boy and two other people. Everyone, if possible, was more confused. They were looking at Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, Achilles, Octavian, Calypso, and Leo.

"LEO!" Was all that was heard.

The other seven rushed forward to engulf him into a bone crushing hug.

When everything calmed down a note appear and Athena read,

 _Dear gods, demigods, hunters, satyrs, nymphs, centaurs, mortal and past heros,_

 _We have gathered you here today to read about the greatest hero. Everyone introduce just your name so there will be no spoilers. No maiming and killing allowed._

 _Love,_

 _The Fates_

 _P.S time is frozen until you finish the books. And everything that happens in the book you will feel._

"Greatest hero?" Percy asked.

Zeus said "Hercules." The same time Hercules said, "Me."

The seven, Thalia, and Artemis rolled their eyes and once everyone introduced themselves a book fell right in front of Percy.

When he read the title he started to groan muttering "Why is it always me?"

That peaked everyone's interest. Everyone wanted to see the book but Percy really didn't want them too. Finally Piper charmspeaked him into giving it to Annabeth.

She looked at it and a shocked expression flashed across her face before reading, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief."

 _ **So that is the first chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed I will update real soon im almost done the second chapter so please review with things you would like to see change and I will try and work with it! Thanks!**_

 _ **XOXO ~ Beth2000**_


	2. Accidentally Vaporise PreAlgebra Teacher

"WHAT!" Everyone screamed for different reasons. The seven were excited because Percy never talks about himself and they would always ask. The campers from Camp Half Blood knew a little bit of what he did but he never went into details. The Roman camp, gods, past heros, Calypso, and Octavian wanted to know why he was named the greatest hero.

"Before we start," Annabeth quickly asked getting over her shock, "what year is it?"

"1989, Why?" Asked Hades.

"Di immortals, where from the feature." The gods were more shocked after that answer.

"Anyways, why don't we start reading? Who want to read first?" Hazel asked.

"I will." Annabeth answered right away. "One second Annabeth," Reyna interrupted," the Fates said that we weren't allowed to tell the gods out titles, but they never said we couldn't say that we," she pointed to a large group of demigods, "couldn't say are Roman." "And I'm a mortal." Piped up Rachel. "We'll explain everything after the books are done so can I read now?" Annabeth said. When all she got was confused looks from the gods she started anyways.

 **Chapter one: I Accidentally Vapourise My Pre-Algebra Teacher.**

 **Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.  
** "Nobody does" the demi-gods answer. The gods had a little guilt ridden on their face once they gotten over their shock that Romans could be with Greeks.

 **If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is:**

Thalia and Nico almost choked and then burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Asked Hera clearly annoyed.

They quickly composed themselves and answered, " Just Percy giving advice is not good, unless it's in the battle field!"

"Thanks! Wait, HEY!" Percy replied. Then everyone burst out laughing.

 **close this book right now. Believe what-ever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life.  
** "Okay I take that back, that's good advice." Percy just stuck his tongue out at them.

 **Being a half-blood is dangerous. It's scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.  
** "Yep!" All the demigod, past ones too, agreed with Percy. Once again the gods looked guilty.

 **If you're a normal kid, reading this because you think it's fiction, great. Read on. I envy you for being able to believe that none of this ever happened.  
But if you recognize yourself in these pages-if you feel something stirring inside-stop reading immediately. **

"STOP READING!" Screamed Leo.

"Why?" Everyone asked.

"Oh I felt something stirring and the book said stop duh!" Everyone rolled their eyes while Calypso pecked his check.

 **You might be one of us. And once you know that, it's only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they'll come for you.  
Don't say I didn't warn you.  
**"Is it really that bad?" Asked the more concerned gods.

"Yeah but I wouldn't have it any other way."

Everyone once again agrees with Percy.

 **My name is Percy Jackson.  
** "No duh Sherlock." Ares mumbled. He got a whack in the head for that.

 **I'm twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York. Am I a troubled kid?  
** "YES!" Everyone from Camp Half Blood screamed.

 **Yeah. You could say that.  
I could start at any point in my short miserable life to prove it, but things really started going bad last May, when our sixth-grade class took a field trip to Manhattan- twenty-eight mental-case kids and two teachers on a yellow school bus, heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff.  
**"That sounds like so much fun!" All Athena and her kids said.

 **I know-it sounds like torture.**

Annabeth scowled and lightly punched Percy for that. While everyone else silently agree with Percy.

 **Most Yancy field trips were.  
But Mr. Brunner, our Latin teacher, was leading this trip, so I had hopes.  
Mr. Brunner was this middle-aged guy in a motorized wheelchair. He had thinning hair and a scruffy beard and a frayed tweed jacket, which always smelled like coffee. You wouldn't think he'd be cool, but he told stories and jokes and let us play games in class. He also had this awesome collection of Roman armor and weapons, so he was the only teacher whose class didn't put me to sleep.  
**"He sleeps in class!" Athena screeched.

Everyone else ignored her while Demeter asked Chiron "Are you Mr. Brunner?"

He answered, "You'll have to find out."

 **I hoped the trip would be okay. At least, I hoped that for once I wouldn't get in trouble.  
Boy, was I wrong.  
**"When are you right?" Mumbled Thalia. Percy just smiled sheepishly

 **See, bad things happen to me on field trips. Like at my fifth-grade school, when we went to the Saratoga battlefield, I had this accident with a Revolutionary War cannon. I wasn't aiming for the school bus, but of course I got expelled anyway.**

Everyone burst out laughing except Hercules, Octavian, and Zeus. "Please tell me you're my child!" Screamed Hermes and Apollo.

 **And before that, at my fourth-grade school, when we took a behind- the-scenes tour of the Marine World shark pool, I sort of hit the wrong lever on the catwalk and our class took an unplanned swim.**

Everyone was now out of their seats laughing while Percy just smiled reliving the memory.

 **And the time before that... Well, you get the idea.  
** "NO WE WANT MORE!" Screamed the Stolls, Leo, Hermes, and Apollo.

 **This trip, I was determined to be good.**

"Why do I feel like this isn't going to end well?" Asked Reyna. Everyone who knew Percy just answered "Because it's Percy."

 **All the way into the city, I put up with Nancy Bobofit, the freckly, redheaded kleptomaniac girl, hitting my best friend Grover in the back of the head with chunks of peanut butter-and-ketchup sandwich.  
** "I'm going to kill her!" Annabeth and Thalia said through gritted teeth. Percy and Grover nodded remembering how annoying she was.

 **Grover was an easy target. He was scrawny. He cried when he got frustrated. He must've been held back several grades, because he was the only sixth grader with acne and the start of a wispy beard on his chin. On top of all that, he was crippled.**

"Wow thanks for the description Percy, I'm so flattered." Grover said with his voice oozing with sarcasm. Percy just smiled in innocently. Every other camper was trying, and failing, to stiffen their laughs.

 **He had a note excusing him from PE for the rest of his life because he had some kind of muscular disease in his legs. He walked funny, like every step hurt him, but don't let that fool you. You should've seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.  
** "Way to blow your cover Grover." Katie said. All she got back was "ITS ENCHILADAS!"

 **Anyway, Nancy Bobofit was throwing wads of sandwich that stuck in his curly brown hair, and she knew I couldn't do anything back to her because I was already on probation. The headmaster had threatened me with death**

"WHAT" Everyone screamed.

 **by in-school suspension**

"Oh"

 **if anything bad, embarrassing, or even mildly entertaining happened on this trip.  
"I'm going to kill her," I mumbled.  
**"YES finally some action!" Ares and his kids screamed.

 **Grover tried to calm me down. "It's okay. I like peanut butter."  
He dodged another piece of Nancy's lunch.  
"That's it." I started to get up, but Grover pulled me back to my seat.  
**"Aww!"

 **"You're already on probation," he reminded me. "You know who'll get blamed if anything happens."  
Looking back on it, I wish I'd decked Nancy Bobofit right then and there. In-school suspension would've been nothing compared to the mess I was about to get myself into.  
**"You always get yourself in trouble don't you seaweed brain?" Annabeth asked. Percy didn't reply just kissed her head.

 **Mr. Brunner led the museum tour. He rode up front in his wheelchair, guiding us through the big echoey galleries, past marble statues and glass cases full of really old black-and-orange pottery.  
It blew my mind that this stuff had survived for two thousand, three thousand years.  
**"Even longer, actually." A ten year old daughter of Athena corrected.

 **He gathered us around a thirteen-foot-tall stone column with a big sphinx on the top, and started telling us how it was a grave marker, a stele, for a girl about our age. He told us about the carvings on the sides. I was trying to listen to what he had to say, because it was kind of interesting,**

 **but everybody around me was talking, and every time I told them to shut up, the other teacher chaperone, Mrs. Dodds, would give me the evil eye.  
Mrs. Dodds was this little math teacher from Georgia who always wore a black leather jacket, even though she was fifty years old. She looked mean enough to ride a Harley right into your locker. She had come to Yancy halfway through the year, when our last math teacher had a nervous breakdown.  
**She sound familiar all the gods and a few demigods thought

 **From her first day, Mrs. Dodds loved Nancy Bobofit and figured I was devil spawn.**

"No that's Nico." Percy mumbled so the gods couldn't hear. Everyone quietly laughed while Nico pouted. Meanwhile Hercules was getting beyond mad that the "greatest hero" was so liked by everyone. That should be him!

 **She would point her crooked finger at me and say, "Now, honey," real sweet, and I knew I was going to get after-school detention for a month.  
** "Harsh" Jason said feeling bad for Perce.

 **One time, after she'd made me erase answers out of old math workbooks until midnight, I told Grover I didn't think Mrs. Dodds was human. He looked at me, real serious, and said, "You're absolutely right."  
** "Way to go Grover! Blowing the cover so early. Tisk tisk" Hermes said while Grover grinned sheepishly. Everyone else was cracking up.

 **Mr. Brunner kept talking about Greek funeral art.  
Finally, Nancy Bobofit snickered something about the naked guy on the stele, and I turned around and said, "Will you shut up?"  
It came out louder than I meant it to.**

"Of course it did." Hazel said with a sigh.

 **The whole group laughed. Mr. Brunner stopped his story.  
"Mr. Jackson," he said, "did you have a comment?"  
My face was totally red. I said, "No, sir."  
Mr. Brunner pointed to one of the pictures on the stele. "Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?"  
**"Who want to bet he'll get it wrong?" Thalia asked the group. Everyone put up their hand and Percy pretended to look hurt. "I bet you twenty drachma that he will get it right." Annabeth said sticking up for her boyfriend. "Your on." And shook on it. Percy kissed her and whispered "Best. Girlfriend. Ever." Nobody heard but a certain love goddess who was squealing on the inside.

 **I looked at the carving, and felt a flush of relief, because I actually recognized it.**

"HA pay up!" Annabeth said with a look of triumph on her face. Thalia looked annoyed that she was wrong and mumbled "Never again bet against Annabeth." The gods were looking between their kids with amazement that they got together so well.

 **"That's Kronos eating his kids, right?"  
"Yes," Mr. Brunner said, obviously not satisfied. "And he did this because ..."  
"Well..." I racked my brain to remember. "Kronos was the king god, and-"  
**"EXCUSE ME!" Zeus bellowed. While Hercules mumbled "Idiot" all the other past heros glared at him actually starting to like Percy.

 **"God?" Mr. Brunner asked.  
"Titan," I corrected myself. "And ... he didn't trust his kids, who were the gods. So, um, Kronos ate them, right? But his wife hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead. **

"He thought Zeus was a rock? He must have been drunk or something to confuse that." Leo stated. Hades just replied, "No Zeus just looks like a rock." "HEY!" Zeus replied while everyone else started to laugh.

 **And later, when Zeus grew up, he tricked his dad, Kronos, into barfing up his brothers and sisters-"  
"Eeew!" said one of the girls behind me.  
"-and so there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans," I continued, "and the gods won."  
**"You just summed up ten years of battling to 'a big fight'" Athena said. Percy just shrugged.

 **Some snickers from the group.**

"Why he got it right?" Rachel asked. Percy just replied "Mortals they are just plain weird."

"Hey I'm not weird!" "Yeah, no you are weird." Needless to say he got a slap for that.

 **Behind me, Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend, "Like we're going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on our job applications, 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.'"  
"And why, Mr. Jackson," Brunner said, "to paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"  
**"BUSTED!" Apollo, Hermes, Leo, and the Stolls sang out.

 **"Busted," Grover muttered.  
** "OH NO WE THINK LIKE A GOAT!" They all screamed while Leo pretended to faint.

 **"Shut up," Nancy hissed, her face even brighter red than her hair.  
At least Nancy got packed, too. Mr. Brunner was the only one who ever caught her saying anything wrong. He had radar ears.  
**"More like horse ears." Whispered Butch. "I heard that!"

 **I thought about his question, and shrugged. "I don't know, sir."  
"I see." Mr. Brunner looked disappointed. "Well, half credit, Mr. Jackson. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan's stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld. On that happy note, it's time for lunch. Mrs. Dodds, would you lead us back outside?"  
**"Yeah because I want to eat after hearing that." Frank said.

 **The class drifted off, the girls holding their stomachs, the guys pushing each other around and acting like doofuses.  
Grover and I were about to follow when Mr. Brunner said, "Mr. Jackson."  
I knew that was coming.** **I told Grover to keep going. Then I turned toward Mr. Brunner. "Sir?"  
** "PERCY HAD MANNERS!" Scream Thalia. The gods gave her a confused look and she replied, "He just never uses them." Hera being the mama god gave him a look and he just rubbed that back of his head sheepishly.

 **Mr. Brunner had this look that wouldn't let you go- intense brown eyes that could've been a thousand years old and had seen everything.  
** "Probably has." Whispered Lou Ellen.

 **"You must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Brunner told me.  
** "About the Titans?" Asked Theseus and Poseidon at the same time.

 **"About the Titans?"  
** They both smiled at Percy starting to figure out his godly parent might be.

 **"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."  
"Oh."  
"What you learn from me," he said, "is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson."  
I wanted to get angry, this guy pushed me so hard.  
I mean, sure, it was kind of cool on tournament days, when he dressed up in a suit of Roman armor and shouted: "What ho!'" and challenged us, sword-point against chalk, to run to the board and name every Greek and Roman per-son who had ever lived, and their mother, and what god they worshipped. **

"I wish I had a teacher like that." Some Roman kid said.

 **But Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everybody else, despite the fact that I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder and I had never made above a C- in my life. No-he didn't expect me to be as good; he expected me to be better. And I just couldn't learn all those names and facts, much less spell them correctly.  
I mumbled something about trying harder, while Mr. Brunner took one long sad look at the stele, like he'd been at this girl's funeral.**

"That's because I had been." Chiron whisper so the god couldn't hear, even though most had already figured out.

 **He told me to go outside and eat my lunch.  
The class gathered on the front steps of the museum, where we could watch the foot traffic along Fifth Avenue.  
Overhead, a huge storm was brewing, with clouds blacker than I'd ever seen over the city.**

"Why are you so mad daddy-oh?" Apollo asked. "Don't call me that and I don't know it's in the future."

 **I figured maybe it was global warming or something, because the weather all across New York state had been weird since Christmas. We'd had massive snow storms, flooding, wildfires from lightning strikes. I wouldn't have been surprised if this was a hurricane blowing in.  
** "Why are you so mad uncle P?" Hermes asked. "I don't know, like Zeus said it in the future."

 **Nobody else seemed to notice. Some of the guys were pelting pigeons with Lunchables crackers. Nancy Bobofit was trying to pickpocket something from a lady's purse,**

"Please tell me she's not yours Hermes." Artemis said. "I'm praying she's not." Of course Percy had to ask, "Can god's prey?"

The gods didn't know how to answer so Annabeth, after rolling her eyes, continued reading.

 **and, of course, Mrs. Dodds wasn't seeing a thing.  
Grover and I sat on the edge of the fountain, away from the others. We thought that maybe if we did that, everybody wouldn't know we were from that school-the school for loser freaks who couldn't make it elsewhere.  
**"Did it work?" Asked Frank. "Sadly no they knew." Replied Grover

 **"Detention?" Grover asked.  
"Nah," I said. "Not from Brunner. I just wish he'd lay off me sometimes. I mean-I'm not a genius."  
**"Definitely not." Percy said. This surprised many of the gods and past heroes, they had thought being the "greatest hero" would have gone to his head. "Percy you may not be school smart but when it comes to fighting monsters and things like that you are a genius." Annabeth replied voicing all the other war veterans thoughts.

 **Grover didn't say anything for a while. Then, when I thought he was going to give me some deep philosophical comment to make me feel better, he said, "Can I have your apple?"  
** Everyone burst out laughing "Did you really expect anything different?" Joked Percy. Everyone laughed harder while Grover blush even more. Juniper felt sorry so she gave him a quick kiss.

 **I didn't have much of an appetite, so I let him take it. I watched the stream of cabs going down Fifth Avenue, and thought about my mom's apartment, only a little ways uptown from where we sat. I hadn't seen her since Christmas. I wanted so bad to jump in a taxi and head home.**

"Aw a mommas boy huh?" Hercules sneered. Every single person that had meet Sally instantly got mad at Hercules. "Aunt Sally is the best mom I would be a mommas boy too if she was my mom!" Defended Nico. That wiped the sneer of his face. Over fifty mad demigods against one would not end well, though he still thought it in his head. The other past heros were really starting to get annoyed by Hercules so they started to move closer to the others.

 **She'd hug me and be glad to see me, but she'd be disappointed, too. She'd send me right back to Yancy, remind me that I had to try harder, even if this was my sixth school in six years and I was probably going to be kicked out again.**

"How do you still find a school to go to?" Asked a random person, Percy once again shrugged not know how his mom did it.

 **I wouldn't be able to stand that sad look she'd give me.  
Mr. Brunner parked his wheelchair at the base of the handicapped ramp. He ate celery while he read a paperback novel. A red umbrella stuck up from the back of his chair, making it look like a motorized cafe table.  
**"Harley write that down when we get back we are making that!" Leo yelled while Harley quickly wrote down the idea. Hephaestus suddenly smiled and said "Your my kids right?" Leo and Harley nodded and Hephaestus smile grew even bigger.

 **I was about to unwrap my sandwich when Nancy Bobofit appeared in front of me with her ugly friends-I guess she'd gotten tired of stealing from the tourists-and dumped her half-eaten lunch in Grover's lap.  
** "I'm going to kill her." Thalia said through clenched teeth. Nico, Annabeth and Juniper all agreed.

 **"Oops." She grinned at me with her crooked teeth. Her freckles were orange, as if somebody had spray- painted her face with liquid Cheetos.  
** "That an interesting way to describe it." Hades said while Percy mocked bowed and Annabeth giggled and when Percy sat down gave him a quick kiss.

 **I tried to stay cool. The school counselor had told me a million times, "Count to ten, get control of your temper."**

"That's not going to work." Piper stated.

 **But I was so mad my mind went blank. A wave roared in my ears.  
** A wave Athena thought.

 **I don't remember touching her, but the next thing I knew, Nancy was sitting on her butt in the fountain, screaming, "Percy pushed me!"  
Mrs. Dodds materialized next to us.  
Some of the kids were whispering: "Did you see-"  
"-the water-"  
"-like it grabbed her-"**

"POSEIDON!" Zeus roared while the other gods looked at him in shock. All of them had thought Zeus would break the oath first. Theseus smiled at his half brother already liking him after seeing all the respect he gets. "POSEIDON YOU BROKE THE OATH!" "Um Lord Zeus can I quickly say you already have by this time so I would get mad at him." Annabeth quickly said fearing for her Seaweed Brain's life. All of a sudden everything made sense to the other gods, Zeus did break the oath first. Hera looked livid looking at her cheating husband. "Then where is my child?" Asked Zeus. "It will probably explain in the books." Thalia said. After Zeus calmed down a bit Annabeth began reading again, although Ares and Hercules were disappointed. Ares because there was no big fight and Hercules because he wouldn't see his dad kick Percy's butt.

 **I didn't know what they were talking about. All I knew was that I was in trouble again.  
As soon as Mrs. Dodds was sure poor little Nancy was okay, promising to get her a new shirt at the museum gift shop, etc., etc., Mrs. Dodds turned on me. There was a triumphant fire in her eyes, as if I'd done something she'd been waiting for all semester. "Now, honey-"  
"I know," I grumbled. "A month erasing workbooks."  
**"NEVER GUESS YOUR PUNISHMENT YOU'LL ONLY MAKE IT WORSE!" Screamed Hermes and his kids.

 **That wasn't the right thing to say.  
** "Told you so."

 **"Come with me," Mrs. Dodds said.  
"Wait!" Grover yelped. "It was me. I pushed her."  
**"Grover why would you try to cover for him?" Asked a confused kid.

 **I stared at him, stunned. I couldn't believe he was trying to cover for me. Mrs. Dodds scared Grover to death.  
She glared at him so hard his whiskery chin trembled.  
"I don't think so, Mr. Underwood," she said.  
"But-"  
"You-will-stay-here."  
Grover looked at me desperately.**

"But why?" "Think about it, it's Percy were talking about." "Oh" Poseidon looked a bit worried after that, he barely knows his son but so far he likes him.

 **"It's okay, man," I told him. "Thanks for trying."  
"Honey," Mrs. Dodds barked at me. "Now."  
Nancy Bobofit smirked.  
I gave her my deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare. **

Everyone who has seen Percy start shuddered. "Why did you all shudder hear about Percy's deluxe stare?" Asked Perseus. "Because we have seen that stare before and don't want to see it again."

 **Then I turned to face Mrs. Dodds, but she wasn't there. She was standing at the museum entrance, way at the top of the steps, gesturing impatiently at me to come on.  
How'd she get there so fast?  
**"Maybe because she's not human." Grover mumbled.

 **I have moments like that a lot, when my brain falls asleep or something, and the next thing I know I've missed something, as if a puzzle piece fell out of the universe and left me staring at the blank place behind it. The school counselor told me this was part of the ADHD, my brain misinterpreting things.  
** "I wouldn't be so sure." Annabeth said.

 **I wasn't so sure.  
** "Good"

 **I went after Mrs. Dodds.  
Halfway up the steps, I glanced back at Grover. He was looking pale, cutting his eyes between me and Mr. Brunner, like he wanted Mr. Brunner to notice what was going on, but Mr. Brunner was absorbed in his novel.**

"Actually I wasn't I was watching you Percy." "Oh okay cool."

 **I looked back up. Mrs. Dodds had disappeared again. She was now inside the building, at the end of the entrance hall.  
Okay, I thought. She's going to make me buy a new shirt for Nancy at the gift shop.  
**Hercules smirked thinking how dimwitted this boy was.

 **But apparently that wasn't the plan.  
I followed her deeper into the museum. When I finally caught up to her, we were back in the Greek and Roman section.  
Except for us, the gallery was empty.  
**"Not a good sign" Katie said.

 **Mrs. Dodds stood with her arms crossed in front of a big marble frieze of the Greek gods. She was making this weird noise in her throat, like growling.  
** "Well that's not usual." "Shut up Leo and listen." "Woah calm down there beauty queen." "Shut up!"

 **Even without the noise, I would've been nervous. It's weird being alone with a teacher, especially Mrs. Dodds. Something about the way she looked at the frieze, as if she wanted to pulverize it...  
"You've been giving us problems, honey," she said.  
I did the safe thing. I said, "Yes, ma'am."  
She tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket. "Did you really think you would get away with it?"**

"Get away with what?" Athena asked. "You'll find out replied Annabeth.

 **The look in her eyes was beyond mad. It was evil.  
She's a teacher, I thought nervously. It's not like she's going to hurt me.**

"Keep telling yourself that Perce." Poseidon and the gods and heroes that like Percy paled a bit.

 **I said, "I'll-I'll try harder, ma'am."  
Thunder shook the building.  
"We are not fools, Percy Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain."  
**"Confess what?" Asked Achilles.

 **I didn't know what she was talking about.  
All I could think of was that the teachers must've found the illegal stash of candy I'd been selling out of my dorm room. **

All of the tension that had been slowly rising the more they read was all of a sudden disappeared. "Oh my gods Percy, that's a classic!" Yelled the Stolls. "Aww uncle P I want your son!" Hermes and Apollo complained.

 **Or maybe they'd realized I got my essay on Tom Sawyer from the Internet without ever reading the book and now they were going to take away my grade. Or worse, they were going to make me read the book.  
** Most people had tears in their eyes from laughing to hard. Athena and her children, on the hand, sobered up when they heard that and they all looked offended. "PERCY WHEN WE GET BACK WE ARE GOING TO READ THAT BOOK!" "But Annnnnabeth!" "No Percy deal with it." That sent everyone into new fits of laughter. Hercules and Octavian were getting more excited thinking that Percy was about to get destroyed by the monster.

 **"Well?" she demanded.  
"Ma'am, I don't..."  
"Your time is up," she hissed.  
Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow like barbecue coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings. She wasn't human. She was a shriveled hag with bat wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs, and she was about to slice me to ribbons.  
**Everyone paled when they found out what monster it was. "Hades" Poseidon said completely calm like before a storm, "why did you send a fury after my son?" "Dad don't worry about it he had his reasons and I forgive him." The gods looked shocked after Percy's statement. They have never meet a demigod so forgiving to the lord of the dead

 **Then things got even stranger.**

"How can they get any stranger?" Asked Piper.

 **Mr. Brunner, who'd been out in front of the museum a minute before, wheeled his chair into the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen in his hand.  
** "That's how."

 **"What ho, Percy!" he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air.  
** "Yeah cause what's a pen going to do?" Snorted Hercules. Everyone who heard glared at him.

 **Mrs. Dodds lunged at me.  
With a yelp, I dodged and felt talons slash the air next to my ear. I snatched the ballpoint pen out of the air, but when it hit my hand, it wasn't a pen anymore. It was a sword-Mr. Brunner's bronze sword, **

"That's how."

 **which he always used on tournament day.  
Mrs. Dodds spun toward me with a murderous look in her eyes.  
My knees were jelly. My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped the sword.  
**"Wimp." Sneered Octavian. "What is it pick on Percy day?"

 **She snarled, "Die, honey!"  
And she flew straight at me.  
Absolute terror ran through my body. I did the only thing that came naturally: I swung the sword.  
**"Yeah cause that's natural." Jason said sarcastically.

 **The metal blade hit her shoulder and passed clean through her body as if she were made of water. Hisss!  
Mrs. Dodds was a sand castle in a power fan. She exploded into yellow powder, vaporized on the spot, leaving nothing but the smell of sulfur and a dying screech and a chill of evil in the air, as if those two glowing red eyes were still watching me.**

Everyone look shocked at Percy. Then everyone started talking at once. "You just..." "I thought your first monster was on the hill..." "Percy you dog..." "How did you..." "Why didn't you tell anyone about this? That's a huge accomplishment seaweed brain!" Percy slowly starting going redder and redder and getting more unfordable. "Thalia don't call me seaweed brain, that's Annabeth's name for me, and to answer your question I never told anyone because it's not that big of a deal and I didn't want the attention it brought..." Percy finished rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Artemis stared at him in amazement never thinking a boy wouldn't want attention like all the other pigs. "NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL! SERIOUSLY?" Hollered Theseus. "Sorry?..." "My gods seaweed brain seriously? That is an amazing accomplishment you're allowed to tell people about." Finished Annabeth looking at her boyfriend affectionately. He just looked over, still beat red, and give her a sweet kiss. Their lips touched for a second before a scream filled the air. They broke apart to see Aphrodite squealing at their cuteness. After that everyone settled back down to finish that chapter.

 **I was alone.  
There was a ballpoint pen in my hand.  
Mr. Brunner wasn't there. Nobody was there but me.  
My hands were still trembling. My lunch must've been contaminated with magic mushrooms or something.  
**"Is there such thing as a magic mushroom Katie? Because of there is I want one!" Katie just rolled her eyes at Travis.

 **Had I imagined the whole thing?  
** "Nope!" Nico said popping the 'p'.

 **I went back outside.  
It had started to rain.  
Grover was sitting by the fountain, a museum map tented over his head. Nancy Bobofit was still standing there, soaked from her swim in the fountain, grumbling to her ugly friends. When she saw me, she said, "I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt."  
**"Who?" Poseidon and Theseus asked.

 **I said, "Who?"  
** "Like father, like son, like brother." "Leo?" "Yes sunshine?" "Shut up! And don't call me that!"

 **"Our teacher. Duh!"  
** "What?"

 **I blinked. We had no teacher named Mrs. Kerr. I asked Nancy what she was talking about.  
She just rolled her eyes and turned away.**

"I'm confused." "When are you not Nico?"

 **I asked Grover where Mrs. Dodds was.  
He said, "Who?"  
But he paused first, and he wouldn't look at me, so I thought he was messing with me.  
**"Grover you need to work on that." The Stolls announced. He just smile innocently.

 **"Not funny, man," I told him. "This is serious."  
Thunder boomed overhead.  
**"Drama queen" Percy muttered. "What did you say?" Zeus said. Percy just smiled innocently and answered "Nothing," then muttered "drama queen" again. Needless to say everyone was really trying to fight down laughter.

 **I saw Mr. Brunner sitting under his red umbrella, reading his book, as if he'd never moved.  
I went over to him.  
He looked up, a little distracted. "Ah, that would be my pen. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mr. Jackson."  
I handed Mr. Brunner his pen. I hadn't even realized I was still holding it.  
"Sir," I said, "where's Mrs. Dodds?"  
He stared at me blankly. "Who?"  
"The other chaperone. Mrs. Dodds. The pre-algebra teacher." He frowned and sat forward, looking mildly concerned. "Percy, there is no Mrs. Dodds on this trip. As far as I know, there has never been a Mrs. Dodds at Yancy Academy. Are you feeling alright?"**

"That's how you lie Grover!" The Stolls said. "Okay that the end of the chapter can we get snacks and then start the next one?" Once everyone agreed they left the room to the kitchen, with only Percy left in the room with Hercules and Hestia.

 **That's it for now. I have already written a few more chapters but I'm going to post one every week or so because I do a lot of outside activities and I don't want to fall behind on updating. Anyways please review and let me know what you think, anything you want to see, and or anything you like. (I like seeing people opions okay, sue me!)**

 **P.S just to let you know Nico is a OOC but that's because I like the brotherly Sisterly relationship between the Big Three kids. And he not gay in my story, it kinda ruins the brotherly sisterly thing, Anyway remember to review! :)**

 _ **XOXO ~ Beth2000**_


	3. Three Old Ladies Sock of Death

**Disclaimer I do not own any of the characters or words in bold, Uncle Rick does.**

* * *

Hercules walked by Percy to go to the kitchen when he bumped his shoulder hard and muttered "There more where that came from." Before walking away angry and muttering to home self. Percy then shook of his anger and walked over to Hestia.

"Lady Hestia are you going to join us?" Hestia jumped because she thought that on one could see her and if they did then they ignored her. She smiled warmly to him already aware that he was special but just learning how much he is. "I don't think I will be needed in there but thank you Percy Jackson." "Of course you're needed my Lady." "And how is that?" He just replied by saying "You're the last Olympian and the most important." Then held out a hand to help her off the floor. She gladly took it still in shock that someone would say that to her.

He lead her to the kitchen where all the talking died down seeing Percy and an unknown little girl walking into the kitchen. "Hestia how nice of you to join us!" Hephaestus said kindly not used to seeing her anywhere but her hearth. Percy smiled and said "I thought she would like to join us." Then walked over to where Annabeth had saved him a seat, he gave her a quick peck before starting to eat. All the other gods looked at Percy with new respect. Nobody got Hestia away from her hearth, and when they did they were truly extraordinary.

During dinner the old demigods and new alike mingled and got to know each other. Everyone, gods included, was having a great time except Hercules and Octavian. Those two were getting along great but were ticked off at Percy for getting all the attention. Right before they left to read the next chapter they planned to meet up tonight to plot how to prove Percy Jackson is not the best.

When everyone got all settled Athena picked up the book and started chapter two.

 **2 THREE OLD LADIES KNIT  
THE SOCKS OF DEATH  
**"What is with the weird titles?" Asked Frank. Percy just shrugged

 **I was used to the occasional weird experience, but usually they were over quickly. This twenty- four/seven hallucina-tion was more than I could handle. For the rest of the school year, the entire campus seemed to be playing some kind of trick on me.**

"Yeah cause the whole school was in on it." Jason said sarcastically.

 **The students acted as if they were completely and totally convinced that Mrs. Kerr-a perky blond woman whom I'd never seen in my life until she got on our bus at the end of the field trip-had been our pre-algebra teacher since Christmas.  
Every so often I would spring a Mrs. Dodds reference on somebody, just to see if I could trip them up, but they would stare at me like I was psycho.  
**"That's cause you are Perce" "Thanks Nico" "No problem"

 **It got so I almost believed them-Mrs. Dodds had never existed.  
Almost.**

"Ten bucks it's Grover." Travis whispered to his brother. "Your on"

 **But Grover couldn't fool me.**

"HA!" Travis whisper-shouted to Conner who fished the money out of his pockets.

 **When I mentioned the name Dodds to him, he would hesitate, then claim she didn't exist. But I knew he was lying.  
** "I take back what I said earlier Grover our whole cabin has to work on that with you." The Stolls said.

 **Something was going on. Something had happened at the museum.  
I didn't have much time to think about it during the days, but at night, visions of Mrs. Dodds with talons and leathery wings would wake me up in a cold sweat.  
**"Your dreams suck!" "I know right wise girl!"

 **The freak weather continued, which didn't help my mood. One night, a thunderstorm blew out the windows in my dorm room. A few days later, the biggest tornado ever spotted in the Hudson Valley touched down only fifty miles from Yancy Academy. One of the current events we studied in social studies class was the unusual number of small planes that had gone down in sudden squalls in the Atlantic that year.  
** "What has gotten father and uncle so mad?" Asked Perseus. Nobody replied.

 **I started feeling cranky and irritable most of the time. My grades slipped from Ds to Fs.**

"Wow way to go brains boy!" "Shut up Octavian!" Percy spat at him giving him his deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare and suddenly the gods understood why the demigods shivered when they heard it.

 **I got into more fights with Nancy Bobofit and her friends. I was sent out into the hallway in almost every class.  
Finally, when our English teacher, Mr. Nicoll, asked me for the millionth time why I was too lazy to study for spelling tests, I snapped. I called him an old sot. I wasn't even sure what it meant, but it sounded good.  
**"Oh my god Percy that's amazing!" Thalia said Thanks but I still don't know what it means." "It means and old drunk." Malcolm cleared up. "So pretty my Mr. D?" Everyone burst out laughing while Dionysus grumbled in his sleep.

 **The headmaster sent my mom a letter the following week, making it official: I would not be invited back next year to Yancy Academy.  
Fine, I told myself. Just fine.  
I was homesick.  
**"Wuss!" Ares exclaimed. Next thing he know he got hit by a high heel.

 **I wanted to be with my mom in our little apartment on the Upper East Side, even if I had to go to public school and put up with my obnoxious stepfather and his stupid poker parties.**

"Paul has poker parties?" Asked a confused Will. "No this is my first... _Stepfather_ " he said stepfather like it hurt his mouth. Annabeth comforted him even though she knew little about his old stepfather.

 **And yet... there were things I'd miss at Yancy. The view of the woods out my dorm window, the Hudson River in the distance, the smell of pine trees. I'd miss Grover, who'd been a good friend, even if he was a little strange. I worried how he'd survive next year without me.  
** "Aw thanks Perce if I ignore the little strange comment that was kinda nice." Grover said. "No problem G-Man."

 **I'd miss Latin class, too-Mr. Brunner's crazy tournament days and his faith that I could do well.  
As exam week got closer, Latin was the only test I studied for. **

"You know you should really study more." Said a little girl from Athena's cabin. "Yeah but I'm not as smart as you so it harder for me." Percy said kindly. The little girl blushed a bit from being call smart and Percy just smile at her.

 **I hadn't forgotten what Mr. Brunner had told me about this subject being life-and-death for me. I wasn't sure why, but I'd started to believe him.  
** "Good." Poseidon said.

 **The evening before my final, I got so frustrated I threw the Cambridge Guide to Greek Mythology across my dorm room.**

Athena and her children all gasped.

 **Words had started swimming off the page, circling my head, the letters doing one- eighties as if they were riding skateboards.**

"Stupid dyslexia." Percy muttered while everyone else nodded their head in agreement.

 **There was no way I was going to remember the difference between Chiron and Charon,**

"You do now." Grover stated while Poseidon paled hoping that his doesn't actually meet Charon.

 **or Polydictes and Polydeuces. And conjugating those Latin verbs? Forget it.  
** "That's so easy though." Reyna whispered to the others. "Yeah but you're Roman were Greek." Annabeth said back. "Right always forget"

 **I paced the room, feeling like ants were crawling around inside my shirt.  
** Percy squirmed around feeling like there was muttering stupid curse.

 **I remembered Mr. Brunner's serious expression, his thousand-year-old eyes. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson.  
I took a deep breath. I picked up the mythology book.  
**"Good" Athena and her kids once again stated.

 **I'd never asked a teacher for help before. Maybe if I talked to Mr. Brunner, he could give me some pointers.**

"That's a start seaweed brain."

 **At least I could apologize for the big fat F I was about to score on his exam. I didn't want to leave Yancy Academy with him thinking I hadn't tried.**

"Aw you care to much Percy!" Aphrodite said while wiping tears from her eyes. Everyone rolled their eyes while Percy just have her his lopsided grin.

 **I walked downstairs to the faculty offices. Most of them were dark and empty, but Mr. Brunner's door was ajar, light from his window stretching across the hallway floor.  
I was three steps from the door handle when I heard voices inside the office. Mr. Brunner asked a question. A voice that was definitely Grover's said "... worried about Percy, sir."  
I froze.  
I'm not usually an eavesdropper, **

"But who wouldn't be when they hear their name?" Chris said.

 **but I dare you to try not listening if you hear your best friend talking about you to an adult.**

"That too"

 **I inched closer.  
"... alone this summer," Grover was saying. "I mean, a Kindly One in the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too-"  
"We would only make matters worse by rushing him," Mr. Brunner said. "We need the boy to mature more."  
**"We're still waiting!" Nico and Thalia said at the same time. Percy pretended to look hurt while Thalia and Nico screamed "JINX!"

 **"But he may not have time. The summer solstice dead-line- "  
"Will have to be resolved without him, Grover. Let him enjoy his ignorance while he still can."  
"Sir, he saw her... ."  
"His imagination," Mr. Brunner insisted. "The Mist over the students and staff will be enough to convince him of that."**

"Or that he's crazy." Reyna claimed.

 **"Sir, I ... I can't fail in my duties again."**

"Grover stop beating yourself up about that. It was my choice. It wasn't your fault." "I know it was just hard to get over I felt so bad." "Grover please I'm fine stop blaming yourself." The gods, past heroes, and Romans looked confused then Percy said "It will explain in the books."

 **Grover's voice was choked with emotion. "You know what that would mean."  
"You haven't failed, Grover," Mr. Brunner said kindly. "I should have seen her for what she was. Now let's just worry about keeping Percy alive until next fall-"  
The mythology book dropped out of my hand and hit the floor with a thud.  
**"ABORT MISSION!" The Stolls scream before getting whacked in the head by katie and Rachel.

 **Mr. Brunner went silent.  
My heart hammering, I picked up the book and backed down the hall.  
**"Good run!"

 **A shadow slid across the lighted glass of Brunner's office door, the shadow of something much taller than my wheelchair-bound teacher, holding something that looked suspiciously like an archer's bow.  
I opened the nearest door and slipped inside.  
A few seconds later I heard a slow clop-clop-clop, like muffled wood blocks, then a sound like an animal snuffling right outside my door. A large, dark shape paused in front of the glass, then moved on.  
**"So it is you Chiron?" Asked a little girl. "Yes." "Then why were you in your horse form in the school?" Artemis asked. Chiron's only respond was, "My legs were cramping."

 **A bead of sweat trickled down my neck.  
Somewhere in the hallway, Mr. Brunner spoke. "Nothing," he murmured. "My nerves haven't been right since the winter solstice."  
"Mine neither," Grover said. "But I could have sworn ..." Go back to the dorm," Mr. Brunner told him. "You've got a long day of exams tomorrow."  
"Don't remind me."  
The lights went out in Mr. Brunner's office.  
I waited in the dark for what seemed like forever.  
**"Aw come on I need more action!" Ares complained while his kids agreed.

 **Finally, I slipped out into the hallway and made my way back up to the dorm.  
Grover was lying on his bed, studying his Latin exam notes like he'd been there all night.  
"Hey," he said, bleary-eyed. "You going to be ready for this test?"  
I didn't answer.  
"You look awful." He frowned. "Is everything okay?"  
"Just... tired."  
I turned so he couldn't read my expression,**

"No but I could read your emotions..."

 **and started getting ready for bed. I didn't understand what I'd heard downstairs. I wanted to believe I'd imagined the whole thing.  
But one thing was clear: Grover and Mr. Brunner were talking about me behind my back. They thought I was in some kind of danger.**

"When are you not?" Asked Achilles really getting hooked on the story. "Never really..." Percy answer a little quietly so his dad wouldn't hear.

 **The next afternoon, as I was leaving the three-hour Latin exam,**

"WHAT!" Everyone screamed. "With dyslexia and ADHD that's torture." Piper said voicing everyone's opinions. Chiron just smile guilty.

 **my eyes swimming with all the Greek and Roman names I'd misspelled, Mr. Brunner called me back inside.  
For a moment, I was worried he'd found out about my eavesdropping the night before, but that didn't seem to be the problem.  
"Percy," he said. "Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy. It's ... it's for the best."  
**"This is not going to end well." Theseus stated. "Why would you say that? Questioned Athena. "Well if he is anything like me, which he is, I know I would take this the wrong way."

 **His tone was kind, but the words still embarrassed me.**

"Told you."

 **Even though he was speaking quietly, the other kids finishing the test could hear. Nancy Bobofit smirked at me and made sarcastic little kissing motions with her lips.  
** Annabeth looked pissed so Percy gave her a quick kiss to calm down which she returned.

 **I mumbled, "Okay, sir."  
"I mean ..." Mr. Brunner wheeled his chair back and forth, like he wasn't sure what to say. "This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time."  
My eyes stung.  
Here was my favorite teacher, in front of the class, telling me I couldn't handle it. After saying he believed in me all year, now he was telling me I was destined to get kicked out.  
**"Thats cold Chiron." Jake said. "I probably should have handled that a bit better..."

 **"Right," I said, trembling.  
"No, no," Mr. Brunner said. "Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say ... you're not normal, Percy. That's nothing to be-" "Thanks," I blurted. "Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me.  
"Percy-"  
But I was already gone.  
**"I'm sorry Percy," Chiron said quietly, "I shouldn't have done that." "It's okay Chiron the past is in the past."

 **On the last day of the term, I shoved my clothes into my suitcase.  
The other guys were joking around, talking about their vacation plans. One of them was going on a hiking trip to Switzerland. Another was cruising the Caribbean for a month. They were juvenile delinquents, like me, but they were rich juvenile delinquents. Their daddies were executives, or ambassadors, or celebrities. I was a nobody, from a fam-ily of nobodies.  
**"WE ARE NOT NOBODIES!" Zeus screeched. "He didn't know we existed brother." "Oh right..." He said sheepishly while everyone else rolled their eyes.

 **They asked me what I'd be doing this summer and I told them I was going back to the city.  
What I didn't tell them was that I'd have to get a summer job walking dogs or selling magazine subscriptions, and spend my free time worrying about where I'd go to school in the fall.  
**"Did that happen every summer?" Rachel asked concerned. "Yeah..." Percy confessed blushing a little bit.

 **"Oh," one of the guys said. "That's cool."  
They went back to their conversation as if I'd never existed.  
**"Rude much?" Hazel muttered to herself.

 **The only person I dreaded saying goodbye to was Grover, but as it turned out, I didn't have to. He'd booked a ticket to Manhattan on the same Greyhound as I had, so there we were, together again, heading into the city.  
** "Stocker alert! "Shup up Hermes!" "Sorry!"

 **During the whole bus ride, Grover kept glancing nervously down the aisle, watching the other passengers. It occurred to me that he'd always acted nervous and fidgety when we left Yancy, as if he expected something bad to happen. Before, I'd always assumed he was worried about getting teased. But there was nobody to tease him on the Greyhound.  
Finally I couldn't stand it anymore.  
I said, "Looking for Kindly Ones?"  
**"Did you want him to have a heart attack?" Asked Juniper sternly. "Sorry Juni."

 **Grover nearly jumped out of his seat. "Wha-what do you mean?"  
I confessed about eavesdropping on him and Mr. Brunner the night before the exam.  
**"What you never confess!" Screech Hermes and his kid.

 **Grover's eye twitched. "How much did you hear?"  
"Oh ... not much. What's the summer solstice dead-line?"  
He winced. "Look, Percy ... I was just worried for you, see? I mean, hallucinating about demon math teachers ..."  
**"You're still trying that?" Apollo asked while Grover just blushed

 **"Grover-"  
"And I was telling Mr. Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs. Dodds, and ..."  
"Grover, you're a really, really bad liar."  
His ears turned pink. From his shirt pocket, he fished out a grubby business card. "Just take this, okay? In case you need me this summer.  
The card was in fancy script, which was murder on my dyslexic eyes, **

"Why is it like that?" Asked Percy. Instead of Chiron answering Dionysus answered for him, "I like to see the little monsters suffer, Perdo, more entertaining that way." Everyone jumped not knowing he was awake.

 **but I finally made out something like:  
Grover Underwood  
Keeper  
Half-Blood Hill  
Long Island, New York  
(800) 009-0009  
"What's Half-"  
"Don't say it aloud!" he yelped. "That's my, um ... summer address."  
My heart sank. Grover had a summer home. I'd never considered that his family might be as rich as the others at Yancy. **

"That's why you looked at bit sad there."

 **"Okay," I said glumly. "So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion."  
He nodded. "Or ... or if you need me."  
"Why would I need you?"  
**Annabeth smacked him for that one.

 **It came out harsher than I meant it to.  
** "Yeah sorry about that G-Man." "Don't worry about it Perce."

 **Grover blushed right down to his Adam's apple. "Look, Percy, the truth is, I-I kind of have to protect you."  
I stared at him.  
All year long, I'd gotten in fights, keeping bullies away from him. I'd lost sleep worrying that he'd get beaten up next year without me. **

"That's really sweet!" The love goddess said.

 **And here he was acting like he was the one who defended me.  
"Grover," I said, "what exactly are you protecting me from?"  
There was a huge grinding noise under our feet. Black smoke poured from the dashboard and the whole bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs. **

"Gross!"

 **The driver cursed and limped the Greyhound. over to the side of the highway.  
After a few minutes clanking around in the engine compartment, the driver announced that we'd all have to get off. Grover and I filed outside with everybody else.  
We were on a stretch of country road-no place you'd notice if you didn't break down there. On our side of the highway was nothing but maple trees and litter from passing cars. On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand. **

"YUM!" "Shut up Stolls!"

 **The stuff on sale looked really good: heaping boxes of blood red cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider in a claw-foot tub full of ice.**

"Katie you have to admit that does sound delicious." Rachel said.

 **There were no customers, just three old ladies sitting in rocking chairs in the shade of a maple tree, knitting the biggest pair of socks I'd ever seen.  
I mean these socks were the size of sweaters, but they were clearly socks. The lady on the right knitted one of them. The lady on the left knitted the other. The lady in the middle held an enormous basket of electric-blue yarn.  
All three women looked ancient, with pale faces wrinkled like fruit leather, silver hair tied back in white bandannas, bony arms sticking out of bleached cotton dresses.  
**"The Fates..." Athena said while everyone else paled. Annabeth look close to crying.

 **The weirdest thing was, they seemed to be looking right at me.  
** Theseus, Perseus, and Achilles paled they liked the young demigod but they knew that seeing the fates was not good.

 **I looked over at Grover to say something about this and saw that the blood had drained from his face. His nose was twitching.  
"Grover?" I said. "Hey, man-"  
"Tell me they're not looking at you. They are, aren't they?"  
"Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those socks would fit me?"  
**"Not funny Perce!" Leo said in all serious

 **"Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all."  
The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors-gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. I heard Grover catch his breath.**

As did everyone else in the room.

 **"We're getting on the bus," he told me. "Come on."  
"What?" I said. "It's a thousand degrees in there."  
"Come on!'" **

"FOLLOW HIM!" Everyone screamed.

 **He pried open the door and climbed inside, but I stayed back.  
** Then they groaned.

 **Across the road, the old ladies were still watching me. The middle one cut the yarn, and I swear I could hear that snip across four lanes of traffic.**

That's when the ones close to Percy couldn't take it anymore, they started to cry. Annabeth was crying the most while Percy hugged her and comforted her. Hercules and Octavian were cheering on the inside excited that Percy saw the Fates. On the other hand everyone from both camps, the old heroes, and most of the gods were really upset that the Fates cut the yarn. Finally Annabeth spoke up furious, "Perseus Jackson why did you not tell me you saw the … the Fates?" Percy flinched when he heard his name but replied, "I didn't want anyone to worry about me, especially you." After that Annabeth calmed down a little bit and Athena took that as her sign to continue reading.

 **Her two friends balled up the electric-blue socks, leaving me wondering who they could possibly be for-Sasquatch or Godzilla.  
** "I think it would be for Sasquatch, personally." Leo said losing some of the tension in the room.

 **At the rear of the bus, the driver wrenched a big chunk of smoking metal out of the engine compartment. The bus shuddered, and the engine roared back to life.  
The passengers cheered.  
"Darn right!" yelled the driver. He slapped the bus with his hat. "Everybody back on board!"  
Once we got going, I started feeling feverish, as if I'd caught the flu.  
**Percy also looked like he caught a flu.

 **Grover didn't look much better. He was shivering and his teeth were chattering.  
"Grover?"  
"Yeah?"  
"What are you not telling me?"**

"Oh nothing, just pretty much half your life." Rachel said sarcastically.

 **He dabbed his forehead with his shirt sleeve. "Percy, what did you see back at the fruit stand?"  
"You mean the old ladies? What is it about them, man? They're not like ... Mrs. Dodds, are they?"  
**"Worse." Everybody said at the same time.

 **His expression was hard to read, but I got the feeling that the fruit-stand ladies were something much, much worse than Mrs. Dodds. He said, "Just tell me what you saw."  
"The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn."  
He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost-older.  
**"You're very observant." Hades said to Percy who just gave a little smile.

 **He said, "You saw her snip the cord."  
"Yeah. So?" But even as I said it, I knew it was a big deal.  
**"A _big_ deal!"

 **"This is not happening," Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. "I don't want this to be like the last time."  
"What last time?"  
**Thalia just glared at Grover.

 **"Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth."  
"Grover," I said, because he was really starting to scare me. "What are you talking about?"  
"Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me."**

"Because that's not strange at all." Apollo said and got a few laugh responses.

 **This seemed like a strange request to me, but I promised he could.  
** "I have a feeling Prissy isn't going to keep that promise." Clarisse said. Even though she would she would never admit it she did care for Percy and she was worried.

 **"Is this like a superstition or something?" I asked.  
No answer.  
"Grover-that snipping of the yarn. Does that mean somebody is going to die?"  
He looked at me mournfully, like he was already picking the kind of flowers I'd like best on my coffin.**

"That's the end of the chapter." "Well that was a very serious ending" "Thank you Captain Obvious." "No problem Beth." "Don't call me that!" "Okay I just read so who wants to read next?" "I will." Reyna volunteered.

 **Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants**

* * *

 **That's it for now I hope everyone is enjoying it I'm having a lot of fun writing it! I will continue updating every week and finish this story. ;) Please review with your thoughts and yeah!**

 _ **Beth2000**_


	4. Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants

**Hey I'm back! Before you read I just want to apologize for a mistake I made in the last chapter. Thanks Omega Alpha Hydra for pointing it out and I promise that I will proofread this time. (I didn't last time... Oops!) Read by author note at the bottom!**

 **Disclaimer ~ I do not own the Percy Jacksom series (sadly) and the words in bold.**

* * *

"Are the titles all going to be this weird?" Frank asked. "It's Percy." Thalia pointed out. "Good point." "HEY!" Before a fight started out Reyna quickly started to read again.

 **Confession time: I ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal.  
"Told you!" Clarisse said proudly while Percy just grinned sheepishly. **

**I know, I know. It was rude. But Grover was freaking me out, looking at me like I was a dead man, muttering "Why does this always happen?" and "Why does it always have to he sixth grade?"**

"I would ditch Grover too." "Thank you! Someone has my back!" "No problem seaweed brain." Percy gave her a quick kiss before Reyna stared to read again.

 **Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up,**

"Good to know." The Stolls said smirking.

 **so I wasn't surprised when, as soon as we got off the bus, he made me promise to wait for him, then made a beeline for the restroom. Instead of waiting, I got my suitcase, slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown.  
"East One-hundred-and-fourth and First," I told the driver.  
"YES! We have his address!" The Hermes cabin yelled. Percy didn't turn his attention away from the book but quickly said, "I moved and you have all been to my new apartment." "Oh … yeah forgot."**

 **A word about my mother, before you meet her.**

"The best!"

"Amazing!"

"Cookies!"

"Extraordinary!" Percy just smiled knowing all these things but glad his friends think so too. Poseidon and the gods were looking forward to see what woman made Poseidon break the oath for.

 **Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world,**

"That we can all agree on!" Nico said with everyone else nodding.

 **which just proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck.**

"So that's where you get it from?" Thalia asked. Percy just glared but thought his mom had it so much worse.

 **Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.  
"I am going to help her get her diploma." Athena stated wanting everyone to at least get a basic education. Many people looked shocked not knowing this about Sally. Meanwhile Annabeth was glaring at Zeus. "Plane crash huh?" Zeus not wanting the wrath of the girl just stayed quiet.**

 **The only good break she ever got was meeting my dad.  
** "Aww! Aphrodite and her children squealed.

 **I don't have any memories of him, just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile.**

"Poseidon you are not allowed to visit your children!" Zeus said while Poseidon just shrugged and winked at Percy and Theseus. Meanwhile the other demigods were wishing their parents broke the rules every once and awhile.

 **My mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad. She has no pictures.  
See, they weren't married. She told me he was rich and important, and their relationship was a secret. Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important journey, and he never came back.  
Lost at sea, my mom told me. Not dead. Lost at sea.  
**"She's smart." Athena stated. "It not lie but not the truth." Everyone nodded in agreement.

 **She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised me on her own. She never complained or got mad. Not even once. But I knew I wasn't an easy kid.**

"That's an understatement." Thalia muttered to Nico. "What's that pinecone face?" "Nothing fish face."

 **Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. When I was young, I nicknamed him Smelly Gabe. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.  
"Ew gross!" All the girls squealed. While Clarisse, Thalia, Annabeth, and the boys turned green.**

 **Between the two of us, we made my mom's life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, the way he and I got along ... well, when I came home is a good example.**

"Please not this part." Percy mutter to himself. Annabeth looked at him a bit worried.

 **I walked into our little apartment, hoping my mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet.**

Percy closed his eyes not wanting to everyone's reactions.

 **Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, "So, you're home."  
"Where's my mom?"  
"Working," he said. "You got any cash?"**

"That's it!" Everyone screeched.

 **That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?  
Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift-store clothes. He had about three hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something.**

"Ugh I think I'm going to punk!" Piper said looking sick while Aphrodite was being woken up after fainting.

 **He managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, but he stayed home most of the time. I don't know why he hadn't been fired long before. He just kept on collecting paychecks, spending the money on cigars that made me nauseous, and on beer, of course. Always beer. Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling funds.**

"But you're just a kid!" Achilles screamed. Each second that passed Annabeth was getting redder and redder with anger. In a moment she looked ready to burst.

 **He called that our "guy secret." Meaning, if I told my mom, he would punch my lights out.**

"WHAT!" Everyone screamed, even Zeus. Percy still had his eyes closed really wishing that he was anywhere but here. Thalia screamed, "THAT... THAT PIG HAS BEEN HITTING MY LITTLE BROTHER!" "Thalia," Annabeth said completely calm, which freaks out people more than when she is mad, "comparing him to a pig is an insult to pigs." Everyone agreed. The campers who have known Percy the whole time were shocked. Their leader who was alway funny, sarcastic, and a good person was abused. The gods were all silently praying that not all their children were treated this way. Annabeth was mad beyond belief, she had known Gabe was bad but she didn't realize it was that bad. Before Reyna continued reading Athena asked "Thalia when you said he was your brother did you mean literally?" Thalia, still pissed, replied, "No he's not blood but he is like a brother to everyone at camp. We have been through some hard times together and even though we fight sometimes he's like my little brother."

 **I don't have any cash," I told him.  
He raised a greasy eyebrow.  
Gabe could sniff out money like a bloodhound, which was surprising, since his own smell should've covered up everything else.**

Athena gasped hearing this thinking Sally was a smart, smart woman. People looked at her but she waved to keep on reading.

 **"You took a taxi from the bus station," he said. Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change.**

"He can do math?" Jason asked Percy shrugged still red from Thalia's statement.

 **Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?"  
Eddie, the super of the apartment building, looked at me with a twinge of sympathy. "Come on, Gabe," he said. "The kid just got here."**

"THANK YOU!" Poseidon screamed.

 **"Am I right?" Gabe repeated.  
Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas in harmony.**

Aphrodite passed out once again. Five minutes later she was back in her seat

 **"Fine," I said. I dug a wad of dollars out of my pocket and threw the money on the table. "I hope you lose."**

"I can help with that." Dionysus said. "What?" He snapped at the confused and surprised faces, "I don't care about Peter, but no kid deserves to be treated that way." The gods nodded in agreement.

 **"Your report card came, brain boy!" he shouted after me. "I wouldn't act so snooty!"**

Annabeth growled and Percy, being scared she will start attacking him for not telling her, quickly calmed Annabeth down by snuggling her close and kissing her head. When Aphrodite saw this she praised herself for her work with the couple.

I slammed the door to my room, which really wasn't my room. During school months, it was Gabe's "study."

"As if he studies." Snorted Malcolm.

He didn't study anything in there except old car magazines, but he loved shoving my stuff in the closet, leaving his muddy boots on my windowsill, and doing his best to make the place smell like his nasty cologne and cigars and stale beer.

Everyone except Hercules and Octavian scowled at the book.  
 **  
I dropped my suitcase on the bed. Home sweet home.**

"I love your sarcasm so much!" Leo told Percy who just flashed him a smile **.**

 **Gabe's smell was almost worse than the nightmares about Mrs. Dodds, or the sound of that old fruit lady's shears snipping the yarn.**

"Wimp." Hercules muttered under his breath. The other past heroes were the only ones that heard glared at him.

 **But as soon as I thought that, my legs felt weak. I remembered Grover's look of panic-how he'd made me promise I wouldn't go home without him. A sudden chill rolled through me. I felt like someone- something-was looking for me right now, maybe pounding its way up the stairs, growing long, horrible talons.**

Everyone paled knowing Percy's luck or just worried for him.  
 **  
Then I heard my mom's voice. "Percy?"**

 **She opened the bedroom door, and my fears melted.**

 **"** Aww!" All the Aphrodite's girls squealed.

 **My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room. Her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt. She's got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair, but I never think of her as old. When she looks at me, it's like she's seeing all the good things about me, none of the bad. I've never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Gabe.**

"Your mom really is the best Perce." Nico said with the demigods who have meet her agreeing wholeheartedly. "Yeah she is." Percy said happily. Hera was starting to like his demigod for loving her mother so much. She figured that all kids should look at their moms that way.

"Oh, Percy." She hugged me tight. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"

 **Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She'd brought me a huge bag of "free samples," the way she always did when I came home.**

"Jealous I want candy." The Stolls mumbled jokingly.

 **We sat together on the edge of the bed. While I attacked the blueberry sour strings, she ran her hand through my hair and demanded to know everything I hadn't put in my letters. She didn't mention anything about my getting expelled. She didn't seem to care about that. But was I okay? Was her little boy doing all right?**

"She sounds like a good catch uncle P." Hermes told Poseidon. "Yeah she does." Poseidon answered with a bit on longing in his voice.

I told her she was smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her.

 **From the other room, Gabe yelled, "Hey, Sally-how about some bean dip, huh?"**

Everyone gritted their teeth.

 **I gritted my teeth.**

 **My mom is the nicest lady in the world. She should've been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Gabe.**

"At least she's with Paul now." Annabeth said and Percy nodded his head.

 **For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy. I told her I wasn't too down about the expulsion. I'd lasted almost the whole year this time. I'd made some new friends. I'd done pretty well in Latin. And honestly, the fights hadn't been as bad as the headmaster said. I liked Yancy Academy. I really did. I put such a good spin on the year, I almost convinced myself. I started choking up, thinking about Grover and Mr. Brunner. Even Nancy Bobofit suddenly didn't seem so bad.**

"Really?" Katie asked. "I just really liked Yancy."

Until that trip to the museum ...

 **Percy shivered in reminder. "Wimp" Hercules muttered again. And once again earning the glares of the past heroes.**

"What?" my mom asked. Her eyes tugged at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. "Did something scare you?"

 **"** Wow," Apollo said, "she's good."

 **"No, Mom."**

 **I felt bad lying. I wanted to tell her about Mrs. Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I thought it would sound stupid.**

"I can see how but still you should have told her." Annabeth told Percy while he just nodded absentmindedly.

 **She pursed her lips. She knew I was holding back, but she didn't push me.**

 **"I have a surprise for you," she said. "We're going to the beach." My eyes widened. "Montauk?"**  
 **"Three nights-same cabin."**

"That cabin is the best!" Thalia said while Percy, Annabeth, Nico and Rachel all agreed wholeheartedly. Athena noticed Annabeth nod and was starting to really not like how much time her daughter was spending with the sea spawn. She figured out Annabeth was hers when she first saw her but wants to confront her before going to bed.

 **"When?"  
She smiled. "As soon as I get changed."  
I couldn't believe it. My mom and I hadn't been to Montauk the last two summers, because Gabe said there wasn't enough money.  
Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, "Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?"**

"I'm going to kill him." Muttered a very mad sea god.

 **I wanted to punch him, but I met my mom's eyes and I understood she was offering me a deal: be nice to Gabe for a little while. Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk. Then we would get out of here.  
"I was on my way, honey," she told Gabe. "We were just talking about the trip."  
Gabe's eyes got small. "The trip? You mean you were serious about that?"  
"I knew it," I muttered. "He won't let us go."  
"Of course he will," my mom said evenly. "Your step-father is just worried about money. That's all. Besides," she added, "Gabriel won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works."**

"Bribery, that's one smart woman uncle P." Hermes said.

 **Gabe softened a bit. "So this money for your trip ... it comes out of your clothes budget, right?"**

"HER CLOTHES BUDGET?" Aphrodite screeched. Causing everyone to jump and plug their ears. "That's it I'm taking Sally on a shopping spree in Paris once we are done with this!"

 **"Yes, honey," my mother said.  
"And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back."  
"We'll be very careful."  
Gabe scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip ... And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game."**

"But he just came home!" Yelled a very mad Piper.

 **Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing soprano for a week.**

Everyone burst out laughing begging for the Percy in the book to do it.

 **But my mom's eyes warned me not to make him mad.  
Why did she put up with this guy? I wanted to scream. Why did she care what he thought?  
"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now."**

"Are you always that sarcastic?" Asked Demeter. All the demigods answer for him "Yep!" popping the p.

 **Gabe's eyes narrowed. His tiny brain was probably trying to detect sarcasm in my statement.  
"Yeah, whatever," he decided.  
He went back to his game.**

"Wow what an idiot." Clarisse said. Percy nodded while muttering "Tell me about it."

 **"Thank you, Percy," my mom said. "Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about... whatever you've forgotten to tell me, okay?"  
For a moment, I thought I saw anxiety in her eyes-the same fear I'd seen in Grover during the bus ride-as if my mom too felt an odd chill in the air.**

Everyone stiffened.

 **But then her smile returned, and I figured I must have been mistaken. She ruffled my hair and went to make Gabe his seven-layer dip.  
An hour later we were ready to leave.  
Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom's bags to the car. He kept griping and groaning about losing her cooking-and more important, his '78 Camaro-for the whole weekend. "Not a scratch on this car, brain boy," he warned me as I loaded the last bag. "Not one little scratch."**

"Yeah like he would be the one driving." Theseus said while rolling his eyes.

 **Like I'd be the one driving.**

Percy smirked at his half brother for having the same thoughts as him.

 **I was twelve. But that didn't matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as pooped on his paint job, he'd find a way to blame me.**

Everyone was looking furious at the book.

 **Watching him lumber back toward the apartment building, I got so mad I did something I can't explain. As Gabe reached the doorway, I made the hand gesture I'd seen Grover make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over my heart, then a shoving movement toward Gabe.**

"That's not going to work." Hades said looking sad. Percy being confused ask "Why not?" "Only a god could affect another being like that."

 **The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the staircase as if he'd been shot from a cannon.**

Everyone stared at Percy confused until Thalia voiced their thoughts "Percy I thought only gods can do that." "We thought so too." Hermes said while all the other gods stared at Percy in confusion and ... fear? Percy just shrugged equally confused. "I thought everyone could do that, like it came with the demigod package or something." Everyone that didn't know Percy was powerful now did. Zeus was getting more nervous of the demigod by the instant while Hercules and Octavian were getting more pissed off.

 **Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but I didn't stay long enough to find out.  
I got in the Camaro and told my mom to step on it.**

"I've always wanted to say that!" The Stolls exclaimed at the same time. With Leo and the Hermes cabin nodding in agreement. Percy grinned and said "It was pretty cool."

 **Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.**

"But you still do." Annabeth said smirking at her boyfriend. He just shrugged.

 **I loved the place.**

"We do too." Rachel said.

 **We'd been going there since I was a baby. My mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her. It was the place where she'd met my dad.**

"Aw!" The Aphrodite cabin squealed again.

 **As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the color of the sea.  
We got there at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine. We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.**

"What's with the blue food?" Asked Hades.

 **I guess I should explain the blue food. See, Gabe had once told my mom there was no such thing. They had this fight, which seemed like a really small thing at the time. But ever since, my mom went out of her way to eat blue. She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop.**

"That explains it." Hazel said while she and everyone else finally understanding he's weird fetish.

 **This-along with keeping her maiden name, Jackson, rather than calling herself Mrs. Ugliano**

"Who would want to be called Ugliano?" Leo asked completely serious. Calypso rolled her eyes at his weirdness.

 **-was proof that she wasn't totally suckered by Gabe. She did have a rebellious streak, like me.**

Cough "more than a steak." Cough. Nico did while Percy smiled stupidly, everyone laughed at the two of them.

 **When it got dark, we made a fire. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Mom told me stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash. She told me about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop. Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask about what was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk-my father. Mom's eyes went all misty. I figured she would tell me the same things she always did, but I never got tired of hearing them.  
"He was kind, Percy," she said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes."**

"Looking at Percy he is replica of Poseidon how did we not figure out his parent sooner?" Asked Katie while the others there shrugged.

 **Mom fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud."  
I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years.**

"You have so many things great about you. Your dad is proud." Annabeth whispered into his ear. Percy gave her a sweet kiss and whispered, "I know now, thanks wise girl."

 **"How old was I?" I asked. "I mean ... when he left?"  
She watched the flames. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin."  
"But... he knew me as a baby."  
"No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born."  
I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember ... something about my father. A warm glow. A smile.**

Zeus glared at Poseidon while he just whistled innocently. Everyone else stiffened their giggles.

 **I had always assumed he knew me as a baby. My mom had never said it outright, but still, I'd felt it must be true. Now, to be told that he'd never even seen me ... I felt angry at my father.**

Poseidon looked a bit hurt hearing this but Percy quickly said "I don't feel that way anymore don't worry." The sea god looked relieved after that.

 **Maybe it was stupid, but I resented him for going on that ocean voyage, for not having the guts to marry my mom. He'd left us, and now we were stuck with Smelly Gabe.  
"Are you going to send me away again?" I asked her. "To another boarding school?"  
She pulled a marshmallow from the fire.  
"I don't know, honey." Her voice was heavy. "I think ... I think we'll have to do something."  
"Because you don't want me around?" **

**"** Ouch Perce, low blow." Jason commented. Percy looked really guilty.

 **I regretted the words as soon as they were out.  
My mom's eyes welled with tears. She took my hand, squeezed it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I-I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away."  
Her words reminded me of what Mr. Brunner had said-that it was best for me to leave Yancy.  
"Because I'm not normal," I said.**

"Nor will you ever be." Thalia joked while Percy fake glared.

 **"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe."  
"Safe from what?"  
She met my eyes, and a flood of memories came back to me-all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to me, some of which I'd tried to forget.**

"You never can forget them." Percy said safely with the demigods agreeing.

 **During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked me on the playground. When the teachers threatened to call the police, he went away growling, but no one believed me when I told them that under his broad-brimmed hat, the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his head.**

"Did you send him to check up on Perce?" Nico asked confused. Annabeth answered for him "He wouldn't know because this is in the past. But yes he did, Percy asked once."

 **Before that-a really early memory. I was in preschool, and a teacher accidentally put me down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into. My mom screamed when she came to pick me up and found me playing with a limp, scaly rope I'd somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands.**

Everyone looked at Hercules who was fuming that a puny demigod like Percy could do something that he did.

 **In every single school, something creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move.  
I knew I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds at the art museum, about my weird hallucination that I had sliced my math teacher into dust with a sword. **

"Yes you should!" Shouted Poseidon. "You know you're talking to a book right fish brain?" "Shut up owl face."

 **But I couldn't make myself tell her. I had a strange feeling the news would end our trip to Montauk, and I didn't want that.**

"Of course that's your reason." Annabeth sighed.

 **"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," my mom said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy-the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it."  
"My father wanted me to go to a special school?" "Not a school," she said softly. "A summer camp."**

"The best summer camp!" All the Greek demigod yelled out.

 **My head was spinning. Why would my dad-who hadn't even stayed around long enough to see me born- talk to my mom about a summer camp? And if it was so important, why hadn't she ever mentioned it before?  
"I'm sorry, Percy," she said, seeing the look in my eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I-I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."**

"Not necessarily." Demeter said. Athena sighed and explained "Percy, being the son of the sea god, would have a stronger aura than most so he would alert more monsters and it would be unsafe to live outside of camp. So she would be saying good bye forever." "Oh." The demigod who know Percy smirked that the wisdom goddess was wrong for once.

 **"For good? But if it's only a summer camp ..."  
She turned toward the fire, and I knew from her expression that if I asked her any more questions she would start to cry.  
That night I had a vivid dream.**

"Ugh!" "What is it?" Asked a concerned Poseidon. "It just that demigod dreams suck, but Percy's dreams are ten time worse." Annabeth explained while Percy nodded.

 **It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf.**

"Oh so uncle P and dad are mad at each other. That explains why they sounded mad at the beginning of the book." Hermes said.

 **The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagle's wings. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth,**

Every god looked at Hades who wore a confused expression. He noticed this and said "I wouldn't be egging on a fight between my brothers." This left the gods, former heroes, and Romans confused.

 **goading the animals to fight harder.  
I ran toward them, knowing I had to stop them from killing each other, but I was running in slow motion. I knew I would be too late. I saw the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse's wide eyes, and I screamed, No!**

"Haha I won!" Zeus muttered happily under his breath while his wife heard and rolled her eyes.

 **I woke with a start.  
Outside, it really was storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.  
With the next thunderclap, my mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, "Hurricane."**

"But Long Island never gets hurricanes that early." A young Athena boy said obviously confused.

 **I knew that was crazy. Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer.**

The boy looked a bit insulted to think like the sea spawn, even if he is a hero, until Percy told him "Great minds think alike." After that he was happy.

 **But the ocean seemed to have forgotten. Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my hair stand on end.**

Everyone tensed easily catching on to Percy's bad luck.

 **Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice-someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door.**

The tension in the room slowly grew until Percy decided to rid of it by saying "I wonder who it could be?" Very sarcastically looking at Grover who was trying not to laugh.

 **My mother sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock.  
Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn't... he wasn't exactly Grover.**

"What was it then?" Leo asked. Calypso rolled her eyes affectionately.

 **"Searching all night," he gasped. "What were you thinking?"  
My mother looked at me in terror-not scared of Grover, but of why he'd come.  
"Percy," she said, shouting to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"**

"Lots." Nico said simply.

 **I was frozen, looking at Grover. I couldn't understand what I was seeing.  
"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he yelled. **

"Language Grover!" Hera scolded while grocers ear turned pink. Annabeth rolled her eyes at the queen of the gods thoroughly done with her. Forever.

 **"It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"**

 **"** What right behind him?" Asked Perseus nervous for his cousin. When he got only silence as a answer Reyna decided to continue reading.

 **I was too shocked to register that he'd just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I'd understood him perfectly. I was too shocked to wonder how Grover had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night. Because Grover didn't have his pants on-and where his legs should be ... where his legs should be ...  
My mom looked at me sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before: "Percy. Tell me now!"**

"She freaked me out more than Grover that night." Percy whispered into Annabeth's ear. While she tried not to laugh because a) that was funny knowing Sally and b) his breath tickled her neck.

 **I stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds, and my mom stared at me, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning.  
She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, "Get to the car. Both of you. Go!" **

"Told you it would end the trip." Percy said proudly that he was right about something. Everyone just rolled their eyes before Reyna continued.

 **Grover ran for the Camaro-but he wasn't running, exactly.**

"Then what was he doing?" Asked Leo, again.

 **He was trotting,**

"That's what he was doing." Percy said smirking.

 **shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to me. I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked.  
Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves.**

"DUH DUH DUH!" "SHUT UP STOLLS BEFORE I MAKE YOU!" Clarisse screamed. They both saluted her while saying "MA'AM YES MA'AM!" simultaneously. "So who wants to read next?" Reyna asked before Clarisse closed in for the kill. "I will Piper volunteered."

 **My mom teaches me bullfighting.**

* * *

 **So that's it! I want to start something new so after each post I'm going to ask a question and answer me in the review! I will answer the next post and look at your answers! First question eye colour. So remember to review, answer the question, and tell me your input!**

 **Also check out my other story Unscrewing the Hinges!**

 _ **XOXO ~ Beth2000**_


	5. My Mom Teaches Me to Bullfight

Disclaimer~I do no own the Percy Jackson series.

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Percy and Grover both paled knowing what was coming next.

 **We tore through the night along dark country roads. Wind slammed against the Camaro. Rain lashed the wind-shield. I didn't know how my mom could see anything, but she kept her foot on the gas.**

"Yeah! I like you pick in women P." Apollo said grinning like a madman. Artemis rolled her eyes and smacked the back of her twins head.

 **Every time there was a flash of lightning, I looked at Grover sitting next to me in the backseat and I wondered if I'd gone insane, or if he was wearing some kind of shag-carpet pants.**

"Shag-carpet pants?" Annabeth said trying (and failing) not to laugh. "I was still in a kinda state of shock." Annabeth cuddled in closer and mutter "Typical seaweed brain." While Percy kissed her cheek. Aphrodite and her kids, even Piper, looked at scene with adore.

 **But, no, the smell was one I remembered from kindergarten field trips to the petting zoo- lanolin, like from wool. The smell of a wet barnyard animal.**

"Thanks Percy." Grover said sarcastically. Percy just nodded in his direction.

 **All I could think to say was, "So, you and my mom... know each other?"  
Graver's eyes flitted to the rearview mirror, though there were no cars behind us. "Not exactly," he said. "I mean, we've never met in person. But she knew I was watching you."  
"Watching me?"**

"Sounds like a stocker of you ask me." Thalia whispered loudly into Nico's ear. He nodded and Grover bleated "Blaa-ha-ha! It was my job!"

 **"Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend," he added hastily. "I am your friend."**

Percy smiled at Grover knowing how great of a friend he is.

 **"Urn ... what are you, exactly?"**

"Smooth Percy." "Shut up Valdez!"

 **"That doesn't matter right now."  
"It doesn't matter? From the waist down, my best friend is a donkey-"**

"Oh I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Travis screamed. Everyone gave him questioned looks and he just said "I said that to the satyr that picked up me and Connor and I got a black eye." "Oh that explained the black eye and why you were afraid of Gleeson."

 **Grover let out a sharp, throaty "Blaa-ha-ha!"  
I'd heard him make that sound before, but I'd always assumed it was a nervous laugh. Now I realized it was more of an irritated bleat.  
"Goat!" he cried.  
"What?" **

**"I'm a goat from the waist down."  
"You just said it didn't matter."  
"Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you underhoof for such an insult!"  
"Whoa. Wait. Satyrs. You mean like ... Mr. Brunner's myths?"**

"Myths!" Zeus roared. "Um lord Zeus he was yet to know of the world we live in." Malcolm said. That calmed him down a bit.

 **"Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth, Percy? Was Mrs. Dodds a myth?"  
"So you admit there was a Mrs. Dodds!"  
"Of course."  
"Then why-"  
"The less you knew, the fewer monsters you'd attract," Grover said, like that should be perfectly obvious. **

"It is." Athena stated confused on how Percy didn't pick that up. "Let me remind you mom Percy didn't know about our world yet, like I said to Zeus." Malcolm said again

 **"We put Mist over the human's eyes. We hoped you'd think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize who you are."  
"Who I-wait a minute, what do you mean?"  
The weird bellowing noise rose up again somewhere behind us, closer than before. Whatever was chasing us was still on our trail. **

The tension thickened in the room.

 **"Percy," my mom said, "there's too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you to safety."  
"Safety from what? Who's after me?"  
"Oh, nobody much," Grover said, obviously still miffed about the donkey comment. "Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions."**

"Grover!"

 **"Grover!"  
"Sorry, Mrs. Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?"  
I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening, but I couldn't do it. I knew this wasn't a dream. I had no imagination. I could never dream up something this weird.  
My mom made a hard left. We swerved onto a narrower road, racing past darkened farmhouses and wooded hills and PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES signs on white picket fences.**

"Yum strawberries!" Demeter and her kids said while their eyes glazed over. Everyone rolled their eyes and Piper quickly charmspeaked them out of it and continued reading.

 **"Where are we going?" I asked.  
"The summer camp I told you about."**

"The best summer camp!" All the Greeks sang. "Hey what about Camp Jupiter?" Asked Frank. "Camp Jup. is more of a city. Camp Half-Blood is more of a summer camp." Percy explained while Jason nodded in agreement.

 **My mother's voice was tight; she was trying for my sake not to be scared. "The place your father wanted to send you."  
"The place you didn't want me to go."  
"Please, dear," my mother begged. "This is hard enough. Try to understand. You're in danger."**

 **"Because some old ladies cut yarn."  
"Those weren't old ladies," Grover said. "Those were the Fates. Do you know what it means-the fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you're about to ... when someone's about to die."**

"Grover, Grover, Grover." Leo said. "We will have to give you special lessons when we're done here." Conner finished for Leo. Grover blushed and grinned sheepishly.

 **"Whoa. You said 'you.'"  
"No I didn't. I said 'someone.'"  
"You meant 'you.' As in me."  
"I meant you, like 'someone.' Not you, you."**

"That's even confusing me, and I'm never confused." Annabeth said while everyone else looked was dumbfounded.

 **"Boys!" my mom said.  
She pulled the wheel hard to the right, and I got a glimpse of a figure she'd swerved to avoid-a dark fluttering shape now lost behind us in the storm.**

The tension gradually climbed the more Piper read.

 **"What was that?" I asked.  
"We're almost there," my mother said, ignoring my question. "Another mile. Please. Please. Please."  
I didn't know where there was, but I found myself leaning forward in the car, anticipating, wanting us to arrive.**

 **Outside, nothing but rain and darkness-the kind of empty countryside you get way out on the tip of Long Island. I thought about Mrs. Dodds and the moment when she'd changed into the thing with pointed teeth and leathery wings. My limbs went numb from delayed shock. She really hadn't been human. She'd meant to kill me.**

"Slow much?" Octavian sneered. "Shut it dead boy, he's still a better leader than you even dreamed of being." Nico said knowing how Octavian tried control people. After that Octavian shut up but he and Hercules still had scowls on their faces.

 **Then I thought about Mr. Brunner ... and the sword he had thrown me. Before I could ask Grover about that, the hair rose on the back of my neck. There was a blinding flash, a jaw-rattling boom!, and our car exploded.**

Annabeth held Percy's hand tightly knowing what was coming next.

 **I remember feeling weightless, like I was being crushed, fried, and hosed down all at the same time.  
I peeled my forehead off the back of the driver's seat and said, "Ow."**

Percy was now rubbing his head because of the curse.

 **"Percy!" my mom shouted.  
"I'm okay... ."  
I tried to shake off the daze. I wasn't dead. The car hadn't really exploded. We'd swerved into a ditch. Our driver's-side doors were wedged in the mud. The roof had cracked open like an eggshell and rain was pouring in.  
Lightning. **

Que glares at Zeus.

 **That was the only explanation. We'd been blasted right off the road. Next to me in the backseat was a big motionless lump. "Grover!"  
He was slumped over, blood trickling from the side of his mouth. **

**I shook his furry hip, thinking, No! Even if you are half barnyard animal, you're my best friend and I don't want you to die!**

"That was kinda sweet kinda offensive at the same time." Percy just grinned at his best friend in response.

 **Then he groaned "Food," and I knew there was hope.**

Everyone laughed while Thalia muttered "Typical Grover." Juniper looked relieved that Grover was okay and not a plant.

 **"Percy," my mother said, "we have to ..." Her voice faltered.  
I looked back. In a flash of lightning, through the mud-spattered rear windshield, I saw a figure lumbering toward us on the shoulder of the road. The sight of it made my skin crawl. It was a dark silhouette of a huge guy, like a football player. He seemed to be holding a blanket over his head. His top half was bulky and fuzzy. His upraised hands made it look like he had horns.**

Theseus paled and looked at Percy and said "Please tell me that's not what I think it is." Percy just shrugged and said "You'll have to find out." But by the look in his eye Theseus knew he was right. All the other past hero and Gods who like Percy paled also figuring out what was after Percy. Three out of the four were worried for Percy while the fourth was hoping to see the weakling creamed.

 **I swallowed hard. "Who is-"  
"Percy," my mother said, deadly serious. "Get out of the car."  
My mother threw herself against the driver's-side door. It was jammed shut in the mud. I tried mine. Stuck too. I looked up desperately at the hole in the roof. It might've been an exit, but the edges were sizzling and smoking.**

"Yeah glad I didn't do that."

 **"Climb out the passenger's side!" my mother told me. "Percy-you have to run. Do you see that big tree?"**

"HEY IT ME!" Thalia excitingly whispered-shouted so the gods didn't hear. "Shut up pinecone face, we know." Percy told her back The Romans looked confused while the others just snickered.

 **"What?"  
Another flash of lightning, and through the smoking hole in the roof I saw the tree she meant: a huge, White House Christmas tree-sized pine at the crest of the nearest hill.  
"That's the property line," **

"And Thalia." Chris joked once again.

 **my mom said. "Get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don't look back. Yell for help. Don't stop until you reach the door."**

"Yeah that's not going to happen." Nico said out loud because the gods keep giving them looks of annoyance when they were whispering. "Why do you say that?" Asked Artemis. "Because it Percy and he is loyal to a fault." Rachel said.

 **"Mom, you're coming too."  
Her face was pale, her eyes as sad as when she looked at the ocean.**

 **"No!" I shouted. "You are coming with me. Help me carry Grover."  
"Food!" Grover moaned, a little louder.  
The man with the blanket on his head kept coming toward us, making his grunting, snorting noises. As he got closer, I realized he couldn't be holding a blanket over his head, because his hands-huge meaty hands-were swinging at his sides. There was no blanket. Meaning the bulky, fuzzy mass that was too big to be his head ... was his head. And the points that looked like horns ...**

"The Minotaur." Reyna breathed. While everyone who didn't already know what it was paled and looked extremely worried for their hero.

 **"He doesn't want us," my mother told me. "He wants you. Besides, I can't cross the property line."  
"But..."  
"We don't have time, Percy. Go. Please."  
I got mad, then-mad at my mother, at Grover the goat, **

Travis snickered "Grover the goat." "Shut it Stoll." Katie said and after that Travis shut right up. Everyone looked between the two suspiciously. Nobody could get Travis to shut up. Not even Conner.

 **at the thing with horns that was lumbering toward us slowly and deliberately like, like a bull.  
I climbed across Grover and pushed the door open into the rain. "We're going together. Come on, Mom."  
"I told you-"  
"Mom! I am not leaving you. Help me with Grover."  
I didn't wait for her answer. I scrambled outside, dragging Grover from the car. He was surprisingly light, but I couldn't have carried him very far if my mom hadn't come to my aid.**

 **Together, we draped Grover's arms over our shoulders and started stumbling uphill through wet waist- high grass.**

"You should really cut that." Hades said to Chiron who nodded.

 **Glancing back, I got my first clear look at the monster. He was seven feet tall, easy, his arms and legs like something from the cover of Muscle Man magazine-bulging biceps and triceps and a bunch of other 'ceps, all stuffed like baseballs under vein-webbed skin. He wore no clothes except underwear-I mean, bright white Fruit of the Looms**

Everyone burst out laughing when hearing about the Minotaurs choice of clothing.

 **-which would've looked funny, except that the top half of his body was so scary.**

The laughing died down right away after that.

 **Coarse brown hair started at about his bellybutton and got thicker as it reached his shoulders.  
His neck was a mass of muscle and fur leading up to his enormous head, which had a snout as long as my arm, snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel black eyes, and horns-enormous black-and- white horns with points you just couldn't get from an electric sharpener.  
I recognized the monster, all right. He had been in one of the first stories Mr. Brunner told us. But he couldn't be real.  
I blinked the rain out of my eyes. "That's-"  
"Pasiphae's son," my mother said. "I wish I'd known how badly they want to kill you."  
"But he's the Min-"  
"Don't say his name," she warned. "Names have power."**

"Smart woman." Athena commented.

 **The pine tree was still way too far-a hundred yards uphill at least.  
I glanced behind me again.**

 **The bull-man hunched over our car, looking in the win-dows-or not looking, exactly. More like snuffling, nuzzling. I wasn't sure why he bothered, since we were only about fifty feet away.  
"Food?" Grover moaned.  
"Shhh," I told him. "Mom, what's he doing? Doesn't he see us?"  
"His sight and hearing are terrible," she said. "He goes by smell. But he'll figure out where we are soon enough."**

"Your mom knew her stuff Perce." Piper said interrupting herself. Percy nodded and said "She feared an attack for a while."

 **As if on cue, the bull-man bellowed in rage. He picked up Gabe's Camaro by the torn roof, the chassis creaking and groaning. He raised the car over his head and threw it down the road. It slammed into the wet asphalt and skidded in a shower of sparks for about half a mile before coming to a stop. The gas tank exploded.  
Not a scratch, I remembered Gabe saying.  
Oops.**

Everyone laughed again. "He deserved that." Thalia said and everyone agreed.

 **"Percy," my mom said. "When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way- directly sideways. He can't change directions very well once he's charging. Do you understand?"**

" _Very_ smart woman." Athena stated again getting confused on why she would end with the sea god.

 **"How do you know all this?"  
"I've been worried about an attack for a long time. I should have expected this. I was selfish, keeping you near me."  
"Keeping me near you? But-"**

 **Another bellow of rage, and the bull-man started tromping uphill.  
He'd smelled us.**

Poseidon and Theseus grew antsy worried for their brother/son.

 **The pine tree was only a few more yards, but the hill was getting steeper and slicker, and Grover wasn't getting any lighter.  
The bull-man closed in. Another few seconds and he'd be on top of us.  
My mother must've been exhausted, but she shouldered Grover. "Go, Percy! Separate! Remember what I said."  
I didn't want to split up, but I had the feeling she was right-it was our only chance. **

"That must have been hard." Annabeth said turning to look at Percy. He nodded and mumbled "Extremely." under his breath.

 **I sprinted to the left, turned, and saw the creature bearing down on me. His black eyes glowed with hate. He reeked like rotten meat.**

The love goddess and her kids scrunched their perfect noses in disgust.

 **He lowered his head and charged, those razor-sharp horns aimed straight at my chest.  
The fear in my stomach made me want to bolt, but that wouldn't work. I could never outrun this thing. So I held my ground, and at the last moment, I jumped to the side.  
The bull-man stormed past like a freight train, then bellowed with frustration and turned, but not toward me this time, toward my mother, who was setting Grover down in the grass.**

Percy started looking sad so Annabeth kissed him quickly and cuddled closer. He was grateful for his amazing girlfriend and cuddled her in more. If that was even possible.

 **We'd reached the crest of the hill. Down the other side I could see a valley, just as my mother had said, and the lights of a farmhouse glowing yellow through the rain. But that was half a mile away. We'd never make it.**

 **The bull-man grunted, pawing the ground. He kept eyeing my mother, who was now retreating slowly downhill, back toward the road, trying to lead the monster away from Grover.  
"Run, Percy!" she told me. "I can't go any farther. Run!"  
But I just stood there, frozen in fear, as the monster charged her. She tried to sidestep, as she'd told me to do, but the monster had learned his lesson. His hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck as she tried to get away. He lifted her as she struggled, kicking and pummeling the air.  
"Mom!"  
She caught my eyes, managed to choke out one last word: "Go!"  
Then, with an angry roar, the monster closed his fists around my mother's neck, and she dissolved before my eyes, melting into light, a shimmering golden form, as if she were a holographic projection. A blinding flash, and she was sim-ply ... gone.**

Thalia, Nico, Rachel, and everyone who was close with Sally had tears in their eyes. Annabeth looked sadly at her boyfriend "You know you couldn't do anything right. And besides she was fine in the end." She whispered in his ear while wiping away the tears that threatened to fall. Everyone else looked sad or horrified that a twelve year old had to see that. Percy nodded to Annabeth but not really believing it "Can you continue Piper?" He asked not wanting to think about much anymore and he was starting to feel awkward with all the attention.

 **"No!"  
Anger replaced my fear. Newfound strength burned in my limbs-the same rush of energy I'd gotten when Mrs. Dodds grew talons.  
The bull-man bore down on Grover, who lay helpless in the grass. The monster hunched over, snuffling my best friend, as if he were about to lift Grover up and make him dissolve too.  
I couldn't allow that.**

"Thanks Perce." Grover said looking guilty that he wasn't protecting Percy and his mom well. "No problem G-Man. You would have done the same for me."

 **I stripped off my red rain jacket.**

 **"Hey!" I screamed, waving the jacket, running to one side of the monster. "Hey, stupid! Ground beef!"**

"Did that actually work?" Asked a young Apollo girl.

 **"Raaaarrrrr!" The monster turned toward me, shaking his meaty fists.**

"I'll take that as a yes."

 **I had an idea-a stupid idea,**

"Not good." Thalia said shakily. She was really upset over Sally including she thought of her as her mom.

 **but better than no idea at all. I put my back to the big pine tree and waved my red jacket in front of the bull-man, thinking I'd jump out of the way at the last moment.  
But it didn't happen like that.**

"Of course it didn't." Poseidon grumbled nervous for his son.

 **The bull-man charged too fast, his arms out to grab me whichever way I tried to dodge.  
Time slowed down.  
My legs tensed. I couldn't jump sideways, so I leaped straight up, kicking off from the creature's head, using it as a springboard, turning in midair, and landing on his neck.**

"How did you do that?"

 **How did I do that? I didn't have time to figure it out. A millisecond later, the monster's head slammed into the tree and the impact nearly knocked my teeth out.**

"I felt that by the way." Thalia said playfully trying to cheer up Percy who was holding a hand over his mouth in discomfort.

 **The bull-man staggered around, trying to shake me. I locked my arms around his horns to keep from being thrown. Thunder and lightning were still going strong. The rain was in my eyes. The smell of rotten meat burned my nostrils.  
The monster shook himself around and bucked like a rodeo bull. He should have just backed up into the tree and smashed me flat, but I was starting to realize that this thing had only one gear: forward.**

 **Meanwhile, Grover started groaning in the grass. I wanted to yell at him to shut up, but the way I was getting tossed around, if I opened my mouth I'd bite my own tongue off.  
"Food!" Grover moaned.  
The bull-man wheeled toward him, pawed the ground again, and got ready to charge. I thought about how he had squeezed the life out of my mother, made her disappear in a flash of light, and rage filled me like high-octane fuel. I got both hands around one horn and I pulled backward with all my might. **

"Not going to happen punk," Ares said, "not even my kids could do that."

 **The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then-snap!**

Everyone looked shocked at Percy for the billionth time that evening.

 **The bull-man screamed and flung me through the air. I landed flat on my back in the grass. My head smacked against a rock. When I sat up, my vision was blurry, but I had a horn in my hands, a ragged bone weapon the size of a knife.  
The monster charged.  
Without thinking, I rolled to one side and came up kneeling. As the monster barreled past, I drove the broken horn straight into his side, right up under his furry rib cage.  
The bull-man roared in agony. He flailed, clawing at his chest, then began to disintegrate-not like my mother, in a flash of golden light, but like crumbling sand, blown away in chunks by the wind, the same way Mrs. Dodds had burst apart.  
The monster was gone.**

Theseus looked at his brother with new respect. He could have never done that when he was twelve. The two other heroes also looked at Percy with new respect while Hercules looked like he was about to explode. "You… You… What?" Was all Reyna could muster in her shocked state. Percy blushed at all the looks he was getting. "It was nothing…" He tried to say but Annabeth shut him up. "Percy shut up, that was not nothing it was amazing." Percy's face now represented a tomato when everyone, even the gods nodded their head in agreement.

 **The rain had stopped. The storm still rumbled, but only in the distance. I smelled like livestock and my knees were shaking. My head felt like it was splitting open. I was weak and scared and trembling with grief I'd just seen my mother vanish. I wanted to lie down and cry, but there was Grover, needing my help, so I managed to haul him up and stagger down into the valley, toward the lights of the farm-house. I was crying, calling for my mother, but I held on to Grover-I wasn't going to let him go.**

Grover smiled in thanks to Percy.

 **The last thing I remember is collapsing on a wooden porch, looking up at a ceiling fan circling above me, moths flying around a yellow light, and the stern faces of a familiar-looking bearded man and a pretty girl, her blond hair curled like a princess's.**

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at the description by said nothing. Percy just smiled waiting for a rant he never got, thank the gods.

 **They both looked down at me, and the girl said, "He's the one. He must be."**

"He sure is Annie." Thalia said smirking at Annabeth. Annabeth glared daggers at Thalia "That not what I meant and DON'T CALL ME ANNIE."

 **"Silence, Annabeth," the man said. "He's still conscious. Bring him inside."**

"That's the end." "Here's an idea," Percy piped up, "why don't we go to bed and finish this in the morning? I'm exhausted and my head is killing so why do we go to sleep." Everyone agreed and they stood up to go to bed not before Athena called out "Annabeth?"

* * *

 **So that's the end of the chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it tell me anything that confused you, mistakes, or just liked. Thank for the few that answered the question. My answer is my eye colour is brown, like chocolate. Next question is hair colour! REVIEW!**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	6. The First Night

**Hey so this is going to be a short chapter but I included a few cute Percy and Annabeth moments so enjoy! 3**

 **Disclaimer~ I don't the Percy Jackson series.**

* * *

Annabeth slowly turned around to not before seeing Percy send her a encourage look. "Yes Lady Athena?" Athena smiled slightly "I know you are my daughter." Annabeth sighed in relief not wanting to call her mom Lady Athena ever again. "But what I don't not know is why you are with the sea spawn." "Mother!" Annabeth said exasperated. "I'm sure I can find you someone better. Maybe someone in the Hermes cabin." "Mother stop it!" "No Annabeth I'm looking out for you. I know what Poseidon kids do and it only a matter of time before he breaks your heart and moved on to his next victim, Annabeth I know it's hard to hear but-" "NO IT'S NOT! I LOVE PERCY AND HE LOVES ME AND HE WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME SO DON'T YOU DARE SUGGEST THAT!" Annabeth screeched at her mother close to tears.

Ever since Tartarus the two would snap at anyone who was say anything about the other. They were closer than ever and when Annabeth mom started to pick at him she couldn't handle it. She stormed out of the room where everyone else was waiting for her. She knew they all heard but didn't care she just ran into Percy's waiting arms and he comforted her while Athena left the room to go to bed. Before passing all the demigods she saw the glares she was getting.

Hermes quickly showed them to the rooms they would be staying at until their done. Girls had a house to their own beside the boys. Annabeth and Percy stayed back a bit to talk before going to bed. Once they knew they were alone they started talking "I don't know why she wouldn't just leave us alone." "It because of my dad. She hates him so she hated me, but don't worry I'm not leaving you ever again." He kissed her sweetly and passionately at the same time. When they finally broke apart Annabeth looked at Percy with a bit of fear in her eyes. "What about tonight?" She whispered barely even audible. A shadow passed over his eyes and responded "I'll meet you in your room in a hour." "Okay," Annabeth said looking relieved, "I'll stay in the first room on the right." "How do you know where the rooms are?" "I have my ways." Annabeth said with a glint of mischief in her eyes. It quickly was wiped away but the thoughts of her dreams.

Both Percy and Annabeth have recovered physically from the pit but at night the dreams tear at them. They wake up at night thinking they are still in that place only to be pulled out the trace and be to scared to fall asleep again. When they slept together the nightmares were less severe. They tried sleeping apart a few nights after being rescued but ended up sleeping together again.

They quickly went their separate ways not before sharing a few kisses. When Percy walked into the house he was shown the room he had. "Your sneaking out tonight aren't you?" Asked Jason making Percy jump not realizing he was there. He turned around to see Nico, Leo, Frank, Grover, and Jason. "What makes you say that?" "You and Annabeth haven't been able to sleep without each other." Jason said sadley. "Yeah so?" Percy said defensively. "We're not getting mad man but…" Frank stopped, struggling for words, "But we want to help you. Geez you Romans and not being able to break the rules." Leo finished for Frank. Percy grinned hugely and thanked all of them before getting ready for bed. Once everyone was in bed Percy showed up in Annabeth's room. "Hey…" Annabeth said. They quickly kissed before snuggling together and falling asleep with smiles on their lips.

For the first time no nightmare haunted their dreams.

The next morning everyone meet up in the dining hall for breakfast. Once everyone was well feed they broke off until only Nico and Hades were left. "Nico?" "Yeah?" "Where is Bianca? And how did you get out of the casino?" Nico stiffened at the mention of his deceased sister "You'll find out in the books."

Nico said stiffly before downing his food and rushing to the throne room to where everyone else was. He quickly sat beside Percy who was barely awake and rubbing his head. "You okay Nico?" Percy asked concerned looking at his younger cousin close to tears. "He asked about Bianca." He said quietly Percy wrapped his arms around Nico and even though he isn't the hugging type he was glad Percy was there for him.

When the gods entered Athena shot Percy a glare of absolute loath while Hades keep sending his son uncertain glances. When the last of the gods walked in Percy asked "Who wants to read next?" "I will." Volunteer Achilles. Percy tossed him the book and Achilles read out

 **I play pinochle with a horse.**

* * *

 _ **Ah sorry for the short chapter I may update earlier than every week for this chapter but I'm still not sure. Anyway please review with anything you want to say I love knowing your opinion. Anyways I'm thinking of writing another story for the Percy Jackson series and I can't decide between an outsiders view on Percabeth or Camp reactions. Tell me which one you would prefer to read and also check out my other stories.**_

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	7. I Play Pinochle With a Horse

**Yay! Another update! I hope you enjoy this chapter and after review. If you don't like something or you love something I can't read minds, so REVIEW! Thanks! ;)**

 **Disclaimer~ I do not own the Percy Jackson series. A) Because I'm a girl, and B) My names not Rick.**

* * *

 **I had weird dreams full of barnyard animals. Most of them wanted to kill me. The rest wanted food.**

"What the?" Everyone asked and Percy just shrugged.

 **I must've woken up several times, but what I heard and saw made no sense, so I just passed out again. I remember lying in a soft bed, being spoon-fed something that tasted like buttered popcorn, only it was pudding.**

"Yum ambrosia!" All the immature boys and gods cough Apollo and Hermes cough said with dreamy looks on their faces.

 **The girl with curly blond hair hovered over me, smirking as she scraped drips off my chin with the spoon.  
When she saw my eyes open, she asked, "What will happen at the summer solstice?"**

"Eager much Annie?" "Shut up and don't call me Annie Thalia!"

 **I managed to croak, "What?"**

 **She looked around, as if afraid someone would overhear. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!"**

"Something stolen? Athena mussed to herself. Suddenly she gasped silently and made a connection between the title and the "Why would he know anything?" Asked a confused Leo while everyone else nodded in agreement. "I don't know I was hoping he could help me." Annabeth said blushing slightly. Percy laughed and kissed her head before Achilles continued reading.

 **"I'm sorry," I mumbled, "I don't..." Somebody knocked on the door, and the girl quickly filled my mouth with pudding.  
The next time I woke up, the girl was gone.  
A husky blond dude, like a surfer, stood in the corner of the bedroom keeping watch over me. He had blue eyes- at least a dozen of them-on his cheeks, his forehead, the backs of his hands.**

"Well that's not creepy." Said a roman from in the crowd. Every laughed.

 **When I finally came around for good, there was nothing weird about my surroundings, except that they were nicer than I was used to. I was sitting in a deck chair on a huge porch, gazing across a meadow at green hills in the distance. The breeze smelled like strawberries. There was a blanket over my legs, a pillow behind my neck. All that was great, but my mouth felt like a scorpion had been using it for a nest.**

"And you know how that felts like how?" Frank asked. "You'll see." Percy said grimly while the older Greek campers and Chiron shared a knowing look.

 **My tongue was dry and nasty and every one of my teeth hurt.**

Percy rubbed his teeth in discomfort.

 **On the table next to me was a tall drink. It looked like iced apple juice, with a green straw and a paper parasol stuck through a maraschino cherry.  
My hand was so weak I almost dropped the glass once I got my fingers around it.  
"Careful," a familiar voice said.**

 **Grover was leaning against the porch railing, looking like he hadn't slept in a week. Under one arm, he cradled a shoe box. He was wearing blue jeans, Converse hi-tops and a bright orange T-shirt that said CAMP HALF-BLOOD. Just plain old Grover, Not the goat boy.**

"Thanks Perce." Percy tried to say no problem but it came out "iz nah prob bems." with his dry mouth and sore teeth.

 **So maybe I'd had a nightmare. Maybe my mom was okay.**

Everyone looked sad remembering Percy's mom.

 **We were still on vacation, and we'd stopped here at this big house for some reason. And ...**

 **"You saved my life," Grover said. "I... well, the least I could do ... I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this."  
Reverently, he placed the shoe box in my lap.  
Inside was a black-and-white bull's horn, the base jagged from being broken off, the tip splattered with dried blood. It hadn't been a nightmare.**

"Oh that's what's on your wall in your cabin." Jason said. "You went in my cabin?" Percy asked confused. "Yeah... I was looking for Annabeth and I looked in your cabin." He finished somewhat sheepishly. Percy smirked at Jason.

 **"The Minotaur," I said.**

"That's not a good idea kelp head."

 **"Urn, Percy, it isn't a good idea-"**

"See even goat boy agrees with Thalia."

 **"That's what they call him in the Greek myths, isn't it?" I demanded. "The Minotaur. Half man, half bull."  
Grover shifted uncomfortably. "You've been out for two days. How much do you remember?"  
"My mom. Is she really ..."  
He looked down.**

As did everyone else but Ares, Hercules, and Octavian.

 **I stared across the meadow. There were groves of trees, a winding stream, acres of strawberries spread out under the blue sky. The valley was surrounded by rolling hills, and the tallest one, directly in front of us, was the one with the huge pine tree on top. Even that looked beautiful in the sunlight.**

"Hey it's me again!" Thalia said excitedly. "What are you talking about." Asked the gods curiously. "I was just telling Thalia that maybe if she was that pine tree she would be beautiful too." "KELP HEAD I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Everyone had tears in their eyes from laughing so hear. Percy rubbed his arm from Thalia punching him with electricity running through her body. Surprisingly Artemis was not mad she figured they had a brother sister relationship and he was not pig like the others. When everyone started calming down Achilles continued with the story.

 **My mother was gone.**

The few who were still chuckling quickly stopped.

 **The whole world should be black and cold. Nothing should look beautiful.  
"I'm sorry," Grover sniffled. "I'm a failure. I'm-I'm the worst satyr in the world."**

"Don't say that Grover." Annabeth said comforting while Juniper cuddled in closer to Grover.

 **He moaned, stomping his foot so hard it came off. I mean, the Converse hi-top came off. The inside was filled with Styrofoam, except for a hoof-shaped hole.  
"Oh, Styx!" he mumbled.  
Thunder rolled across the clear sky.  
As he struggled to get his hoof back in the fake foot, I thought, Well, that settles it.  
Grover was a satyr. I was ready to bet that if I shaved his curly brown hair, I'd find tiny horns on his head. **

Grover huffed "They are not tiny!" "No they're just really small." "Shut up Percy." Grover replied over the giggles.

 **But I was too miserable to care that satyrs existed, or even minotaurs. All that meant was my mom really had been squeezed into nothingness, dissolved into yellow light.  
I was alone. An orphan. I would have to live with ... Smelly Gabe? **

"HADES NO!" Nico hollered. "Don't use my name in vain!" Hades said. "Sorry Zeus and Poseidon no!" "Hey!" Zeus yelled while everyone tried not to laugh. Hades rolled his eyes at his little brother and shot a wink at Nico before the story continued.

 **No. That would never happen. I would live on the streets first. I would pretend I was seventeen and join the army.**

"Yeah cause a twelve year old could so pass as an seventeen year old." Rachel said sarcastically. "It's still better than Gabe." Percy pointed out. "Touché."

 **I'd do something.  
Grover was still sniffling. The poor kid-poor goat, satyr, whatever-looked as if he expected to be hit.  
I said, "It wasn't your fault."**

 **"Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you."  
"Did my mother ask you to protect me?"  
"No. But that's my job. I'm a keeper. At least... I was."  
"But why ..." I suddenly felt dizzy, my vision swimming.**

Percy shut his eyes and fought off the feeling of dizziness. When he opened them again he saw a concerned Annabeth looking at him he gave her a sweet kiss before snuggling in close a resting his head on her legs. Athena glared as she watched her daughter look at him lovingly while running her fingers through his hair. Aphrodite was squealing so much on the inside she was turning red in the face.

 **"Don't strain yourself," Grover said. "Here." He helped me hold my glass and put the straw to my lips.  
I recoiled at the taste, because I was expecting apple juice. It wasn't that at all. It was chocolate-chip cookies. Liquid cookies. And not just any cookies-my mom's homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies, buttery and hot, with the chips still melting. **

"Man your mom makes the best cookies!" Chris said.

 **Drinking it, my whole body felt warm and good, full of energy. My grief didn't go away, but I felt as if my mom had just brushed her hand against my cheek, given me a cookie the way she used to when I was small, and told me everything was going to be okay.  
Before I knew it, I'd drained the glass. I stared into it, sure I'd just had a warm drink, but the ice cubes hadn't even melted.  
"Was it good?" Grover asked.  
I nodded.  
"What did it taste like?" He sounded so wistful, I felt guilty.  
"Sorry," I said. "I should've let you taste."**

 **His eyes got wide. "No! That's not what I meant. I just... wondered."  
"Chocolate-chip cookies," I said. "My mom's. Homemade."  
He sighed. "And how do you feel?"  
"Like I could throw Nancy Bobofit a hundred yards."**

"Do it I'm getting bored with no action." Are said. Aphrodite looked at her 'lover' in disgust. Never before had she realized what a pig we was.

 **"That's good," he said. "That's good. I don't think you could risk drinking any more of that stuff"  
"What do you mean?"  
He took the empty glass from me gingerly, as if it were dynamite, and set it back on the table. "Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."  
The porch wrapped all the way around the farmhouse.  
My legs felt wobbly, trying to walk that far. Grover offered to carry the Minotaur horn, but I held on to it. I'd paid for that souvenir the hard way. I wasn't going to let it go.  
As we came around the opposite end of the house, I caught my breath.  
We must've been on the north shore of Long Island, because on this side of the house, the valley marched all the way up to the water, which glittered about a mile in the distance. Between here and there, I simply couldn't process everything I was seeing. **

"Nobody could at first."

 **The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like ancient Greek architecture-an open-air pavilion, an amphitheater, a circular arena-except that they all looked brand new, their white marble columns sparkling in the sun. In a nearby sandpit, a dozen high school-age kids and satyrs played volleyball. Canoes glided across a small lake. Kids in bright orange T-shirts like Grover's were chasing each other around a cluster of cabins nestled in the woods. Some shot targets at an archery range. Others rode horses down a wooded trail, and, unless I was hallucinating, some of their horses had wings.**

"You weren't hallucinating dude." "Thanks you Captain Obvious!" "I'm not Captain Obvious! I'm Capitan McShizzle." Everyone rolled their eyes are Leo ridiculousness.

 **Down at the end of the porch, two men sat across from each other at a card table. The blond-haired girl who'd spoon-fed me popcorn-flavored pudding was leaning on the porch rail next to them.  
The man facing me was small, but porky. **

Dionysus woke up from his nap at that precise moment.

 **He had a red nose, big watery eyes, and curly hair so black it was almost purple. He looked like those paintings of baby angels- what do you call them, hubbubs?**

"Where's this going seaweed brain?" Annabeth asked amused.

 **No, cherubs. That's it. He looked like a cherub who'd turned middle-aged in a trailer park.**

"Why you little!" Dionysus started furious and started to make vines grow out of the floor while everyone else was killing themselves laughing. "I wouldn't do that Mr. D." Percy said laughing and pointing to Poseidon. He had water ready in his in case Dionysus tried anything. Once everyone calmed down again Achilles continued.

 **He wore a tiger- pattern Hawaiian shirt, and he would've fit right in at one of Gabe's poker parties, except I got the feeling this guy could've out-gambled even my step-father.**

"Yes I can." Mr. D grumped to himself.

 **"That's Mr. D," Grover murmured to me. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron... ."  
He pointed at the guy whose back was to me.  
First, I realized he was sitting in the wheelchair. Then I recognized the tweed jacket, the thinning brown hair, the scraggly beard.  
"Mr. Brunner!" I cried.  
The Latin teacher turned and smiled at me. His eyes had that mischievous glint they sometimes got in class when he pulled a pop quiz and made all the multiple choice answers B.**

"CHIRON YOU ARE THE COOLEST TEACHER!" Leo hollered out while everyone else nodded in agreement. Chiron blushes slightly at the comment.

 **"Ah, good, Percy," he said. "Now we have four for pinochle."**

"What's that?" Asked a confused Roman.

 **He offered me a chair to the right of Mr. D, who looked at me with bloodshot eyes and heaved a great sigh. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."**

Some of the gods glared at the wine God not happy by the way he treats their kids. Percy sat up from Annabeth's lap and she cuddled into his chest mow that he was feeling better.

 **"Uh, thanks." I scooted a little farther away from him because, if there was one thing I had learned from living with Gabe, it was how to tell when an adult has been hitting the happy juice. If Mr. D was a stranger to alcohol, I was a satyr.**

Everyone cracked up here. "Percy right for once!" Thalia gasped. "Hey I take offence to that!" "What ever kelp head."

 **"Annabeth?" Mr. Brunner called to the blond girl.  
She came forward and Mr. Brunner introduced us. "This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."  
Annabeth said, "Sure, Chiron."  
She was probably my age, maybe a couple of inches taller, and a whole lot more athletic looking. With her deep tan and her curly blond hair, she was almost exactly what I thought a stereotypical California girl would look like, except her eyes ruined the image. **

"What's wrong with my eyes?" Annabeth said angrily as she sat up from snuggling Percy. Percy saw how mad she was a quickly motioned to start reading again.

 **They were startling gray, like storm clouds; pretty, but intimidating, too, as if she were analyzing the best way to take me down in a fight.**

"Oh..." "Yeah I would never mean it to be mean." "Okay." And Annabeth snuggled back into her boyfriend's chest. "Sorry." She whispered so only he could hear her. He kissed the top of her head and whispered "It's okay."

 **She glanced at the minotaur horn in my hands, then back at me. I imagined she was going to say, You killed a minotaur! or Wow, you're so awesome! or something like that.**

"Keep thinking that Percy." Nico smirked.

 **Instead she said, "You drool when you sleep."**

Everyone burst out laughing while Aphrodite just sighed. "Someone's got a crush!" She squealed dreamily. Annabeth already red face turned every more red. "You had a crush on me since I was twelve? I thought you only liked me after the battle of Manhattan." Percy asked thoroughly confused. "No," Annabeth said sheepishly, "I liked you from the start you were just too thick headed to see it." Percy just sat there blinking for a few seconds before everyone laughed again. "Sorry it took so long." He whispered to her ear. She shivered slightly from his hot breath before replying "It's okay I wouldn't have it any other way." She said then gave him a quick kiss on his cheek."

 **Then she sprinted off down the lawn, her blond hair flying behind her.  
"So," I said, anxious to change the subject. "You, uh, work here, Mr. Brunner?"**

 **"Not Mr. Brunner," the ex-Mr. Brunner said. "I'm afraid that was a pseudonym. You may call me Chiron."  
"Okay." Totally confused, I looked at the director. "And Mr. D ... does that stand for something?"  
Mr. D stopped shuffling the cards. He looked at me like I'd just belched loudly. **

"Weird way of describing things." Rachel said.

 **"Young man, names are powerful things. You don't just go around using them for no reason."  
"Oh. Right. Sorry."  
"I must say, Percy," Chiron-Brunner broke in, "I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time."**

"When was your last house call?" Asked Chris curiously. Chiron thought for a moment then answered. "A few centuries ago." Everyone looked shocked at the answer. "You must have been really powerful if the last time he made a house call was centuries ago." Hades said. Zeus started getting really nervous of the son of Poseidon.

 **"House call?"  
"My year at Yancy Academy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. But Grover alerted me as soon as he met you. He sensed you were something special, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other Latin teacher to ... ah, take a leave of absence."  
I tried to remember the beginning of the school year. It seemed like so long ago, but I did have a fuzzy memory of there being another Latin teacher my first week at Yancy. Then, without explanation, he had disappeared and Mr. Brunner had taken the class.  
"You came to Yancy just to teach me?" I asked.  
Chiron nodded. "Honestly, I wasn't sure about you at first. We contacted your mother, let her know we were keeping an eye on you in case you were ready for Camp Half-Blood. But you still had so much to learn. Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that's always the first test."**

"First test?" Asked a confused Roman

 **"Grover," Mr. D said impatiently, "are you playing or not?"  
"Yes, sir!" Grover trembled as he took the fourth chair, though I didn't know why he should be so afraid of a pudgy little man in a tiger-print Hawaiian shirt.**

Everyone chuckled while Mr. D scowled at Percy.

 **"You do know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D eyed me suspiciously.  
"I'm afraid not," I said.  
"I'm afraid not, sir," he said.  
"Sir," I repeated. I was liking the camp director less and less.**

"The feelings mutual Pepper."

 **"Well," he told me, "it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans.**

Everyone snorted at the Pac-Man comment.

 **I would expect all civilized young men to know the rules."  
"I'm sure the boy can learn," Chiron said.  
"Please," I said, "what is this place? What am I doing here? Mr. Brun-Chiron-why would you go to Yancy Academy just to teach me?"  
Mr. D snorted. "I asked the same question."  
The camp director dealt the cards. Grover flinched every time one landed in his pile.**

 **Chiron smiled at me sympathetically, the way he used to in Latin class, as if to let me know that no matter what my average was, I was his star student. He expected me to have the right answer.**

"Only teacher too." Percy muttered to home self. Everyone one around them frowned at the comment and Annabeth snuggled closer, if even possible, to Percy.

 **"Percy," he said. "Did your mother tell you nothing?'  
"She said ..." I remembered her sad eyes, looking out over the sea. "She told me she was afraid to send me here, even though my father had wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I probably couldn't leave. She wanted to keep me close to her."  
"Typical," Mr. D said. "That's how they usually get killed. Young man, are you bidding or not?"**

Everyone glared at said God.

 **"What?" I asked.  
He explained, impatiently, how you bid in pinochle, and so I did.  
"I'm afraid there's too much to tell," Chiron said. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient."**

"Oh that's why you were so behind." Katie said with lights dawning in his eyes.

 **"Orientation film?" I asked.  
"No," Chiron decided. "Well, Percy. You know your friend Grover is a satyr. You know"-he pointed to the horn in the shoe box-"that you have killed the Minotaur. No small feat, either, lad. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. Gods-the forces you call the Greek gods-are very much alive."**

All the gods smiled proudly.

 **I stared at the others around the table.  
I waited for somebody to yell, Not! But all I got was Mr. D yelling, "Oh, a royal marriage. Trick! Trick!" **

Everyone stiffened a giggle seeing Dionysus's glare.

 **He cackled as he tallied up his points.**

 **"Mr. D," Grover asked timidly, "if you're not going to eat it, could I have your Diet Coke can?"  
"Eh? Oh, all right."  
Grover bit a huge shard out of the empty aluminum can and chewed it mournfully.  
"Wait," I told Chiron. "You're telling me there's such a thing as God."  
"Well, now," Chiron said. "God-capital G, God. That's a different matter altogether. We shan't deal with the metaphysical."  
"Metaphysical? But you were just talking about-"  
"Ah, gods, plural, as in, great beings that control the forces of nature and human endeavors: the immortal gods of Olympus. That's a smaller matter."**

"A smaller matter?" Zeus asked heatedly. "A smaller matter but much more important." Chiron said calmly. The king of the gods calmed down a bit but still looked ticked off.

 **"Smaller?"  
"Yes, quite. The gods we discussed in Latin class."  
"Zeus," I said. "Hera. Apollo. You mean them."**

"Don't just throw my name around!" Hera said madly. Percy held his hands in mock surrender while Annabeth glared daggers at her.

 **And there it was again-distant thunder on a cloudless day.  
"Young man," said Mr. D, "I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you."**

 **"But they're stories," I said. "They're-myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science."  
"Science!" Mr. D scoffed. "And tell me, Perseus Jackson"-I flinched when he said my real name, which I never told anybody-**

"You're named after me?" Perseus asked curiously. "Yeah my named me that because you're the only one that got a happy ending and she hoped for the same for me." Perseus smiled happily at his younger cousin.

 **"what will people think of your 'science' two thousand years from now?" Mr. D continued. "Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo jumbo. That's what. Oh, I love mortals-they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they've come sooo far. And have they, Chiron? Look at this boy and tell me."  
I wasn't liking Mr. D much, but there was something about the way he called me mortal, as if... he wasn't.**

"Wow your not as slow as you look." A Roman said. "Um…thanks?" Percy said confused. "Still stupid though." Hercules sneered. Everyone made a move to get up and beat the crap out of Hercules but Percy just waved it off.

 **It was enough to put a lump in my throat, to suggest why Grover was dutifully minding his cards, chewing his soda can, and keeping his mouth shut.  
"Percy," Chiron said, "you may choose to believe or not, but the fact is that immortal means immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all time?"**

"That sounds awesome!" A newer Greek camper shouted out "It is!" Hercules said happily. Percy shook his head slightly.

 **I was about to answer, off the top of my head, that it sounded like a pretty good deal, but the tone of Chiron's voice made me hesitate.  
"You mean, whether people believed in you or not," I said.**

"Oh." "Still better than being mortal." "I don't think I would want to become immortal myself." Percy mussed to himself but everyone heard him. "And whys that?" Artemis asked curiously. Percy just shrugged in response while the veteran heroes and Chiron had to hide their smiles and laughs. Lucky for them their hidden smiles turned into real scowls when Hercules said, "Like you would be offered. They only offer it to _real_ heroes." While everyone else scowled Percy just smirked.

 **"Exactly," Chiron agreed. "If you were a god, how would you like being called a myth, an old story to explain lightning? What if I told you, Perseus Jackson, that some-day people would call you a myth, just created to explain how little boys can get over losing their mothers?"**

"Chiron what the Hades?" Asked Thalia angrily. Said centaur shook his head sheepishly "Not my best choice of words but Percy is stubborn and I needed to get the message across." Percy chuckled a bit and said "He has a point." At this everyone calmed down a bit. But Percy didn't let go of Annabeth's waist, which he grabbed when reading that bit of the book, didn't let go get just in case.

 **My heart pounded. He was trying to make me angry for some reason, but I wasn't going to let him. I said, "I wouldn't like it. But I don't believe in gods."  
"Oh, you'd better," Mr. D murmured. "Before one of them incinerates you."**

 **Grover said, "P-please, sir. He's just lost his mother. He's in shock."  
"A lucky thing, too," Mr. D grumbled, playing a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys who don't even believe.'" **

**He waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, as if the sunlight had bent, momentarily, and woven the air into glass. The goblet filled itself with red wine.**

"Dionysus." Zeus warned.

 **My jaw dropped, but Chiron hardly looked up.  
"Mr. D," he warned, "your restrictions."  
Mr. D looked at the wine and feigned surprise.  
"Dear me." He looked at the sky and yelled, "Old habits! Sorry!"**

"Good." Zeus grumbled.

 **More thunder.  
Mr. D waved his hand again, and the wineglass changed into a fresh can of Diet Coke. He sighed unhappily, popped the top of the soda, and went back to his card game.  
Chiron winked at me. "Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits."  
"A wood nymph," I repeated, still staring at the Diet Coke can like it was from outer space.**

 **"Yes," Mr. D confessed. "Father loves to punish me. The first time, Prohibition. Ghastly! Absolutely horrid ten years! The second time-well, she really was pretty, and I couldn't stay away-the second time, he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you.**

Every god that cared for their children glared at the wine God.

 **'Be a better influence,' he told me. 'Work with youths rather than tearing them down.' Ha.' Absolutely unfair."  
Mr. D sounded about six years old, like a pouting little kid.**

Everyone laughed.

 **"And ..." I stammered, "your father is ..."  
"Di immortales, Chiron," Mr. D said. "I thought you taught this boy the basics. My father is Zeus, of course."  
I ran through D names from Greek mythology. Wine. The skin of a tiger. The satyrs that all seemed to work here. The way Grover cringed, as if Mr. D were his master.  
"You're Dionysus," I said. "The god of wine."**

"Wow look at you go kelp head!" "Thanks Thalia!" Percy smiled smugly.

 **Mr. D rolled his eyes. "What do they say, these days, Grover? Do the children say, 'Well, duh!'?"**

"I never want to hear that again." Grover mutter to Nico who nodded.

 **"Y-yes, Mr. D."  
"Then, well, duh! Percy Jackson. Did you think I was Aphrodite, perhaps?"**

"I take offence to that!" Aphrodite said angrily.

 **"You're a god."  
"Yes, child."**

 **"A god. You."  
He turned to look at me straight on, and I saw a kind of purplish fire in his eyes, a hint that this whiny, plump little man was only showing me the tiniest bit of his true nature. I saw visions of grape vines choking unbelievers to death, drunken warriors insane with battle lust, sailors screaming as their hands turned to flippers, their faces elongating into dolphin snouts. I knew that if I pushed him, Mr. D would show me worse things. He would plant a disease in my brain that would leave me wearing a strait-jacket in a rubber room for the rest of my life.**

"Remind me never to get on his bad." Hazel said. "Oh don't worry about that," Percy replied, "he's one of the least scary God to have on your bad side." Everyone laughed while Dionysus glared at Percy who carefully avoided his eyes knowing he will see something he wouldn't want to see.

 **"Would you like to test me, child?" he said quietly.  
"No. No, sir."  
The fire died a little. He turned back to his card game. "I believe I win."  
"Not quite, Mr. D," Chiron said. He set down a straight, tallied the points, and said, "The game goes to me."  
I thought Mr. D was going to vaporize Chiron right out of his wheelchair, but he just sighed through his nose, as if he were used to being beaten by the Latin teacher. **

"I am." Mr. D muttered.

 **He got up, and Grover rose, too.  
"I'm tired," Mr. D said. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, we need to talk, again, about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."**

It was now Percy's turn to glare at the God, along with Thalia, Annabeth, and Juniper.

 **Grover's face beaded with sweat. "Y-yes, sir."  
Mr. D turned to me. "Cabin eleven, Percy Jackson. And mind your manners."  
He swept into the farmhouse, Grover following miserably.**

 **"Will Grover be okay?" I asked Chiron.  
Chiron nodded, though he looked a bit troubled. "Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been ... ah, grounded, I guess you would say, and he can't stand waiting another century before he's allowed to go back to Olympus."  
"Mount Olympus," I said. "You're telling me there really is a palace there?"**

"Of course there is idiot." Octavian sneered. "Octavian have you been there?" Percy asked innocently. "No…" "Then do us all a favour and shut up." Once he finished everyone but Hercules and Octavian laughed. Something caught Hercules eyes. A certain blond snuggling the stupid sea god son. Suddenly an idea came to mind that he would share with Octavian later.

 **"Well now, there's Mount Olympus in Greece. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed used to be on Mount Olympus. It's still called Mount Olympus, out of respect to the old ways, but the palace moves, Percy, just as the gods do."  
"You mean the Greek gods are here? Like ... in America?"  
"Well, certainly. The gods move with the heart of the West."  
"The what?"  
"Come now, Percy. What you call 'Western civilization.' Do you think it's just an abstract concept? No, it's a living force. A collective consciousness that has burned bright for thousands of years. The gods are part of it. You might even say they are the source of it, or at least, they are tied so tightly to it that they couldn't possibly fade, not unless all of Western civilization were obliterated. The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know-or as I hope you know, since you passed my course-the heart of the fire moved to Rome, and so did the gods. Oh, different names, perhaps-Jupiter for Zeus, Venus for Aphrodite, and so on-but the same forces, the same gods."**

"Everything makes sense now!" Leo said. Calypso laughed at his cuteness and rested her head in his shoulder.

 **"And then they died."**

 **"Died? No. Did the West die? The gods simply moved, to Germany, to France, to Spain, for a while. Wherever the flame was brightest, the gods were there. They spent several centuries in England.**

"I loved there." Hermes said dreamily while all the other gods nodded in agreement.

 **All you need to do is look at the architecture.**

Annabeth smiled happily at the mention of architecture. Percy saw this and laughed silently and kissed her head sweetly.

 **People do not forget the gods. Every place they've ruled, for the last three thousand years, you can see them in paintings, in statues, on the most important buildings. And yes, Percy, of course they are now in your United States. Look at your symbol, the eagle of Zeus. Look at the statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center, the Greek facades of your government buildings in Washington. I defy you to find any American city where the Olympians are not prominently displayed in multiple places. Like it or not-and believe me, plenty of people weren't very fond of Rome, either- America is now the heart of the flame. It is the great power of the West. And so Olympus is here. And we are here."  
It was all too much, especially the fact that I seemed to be included in Chiron's we, as if I were part of some club.**

Everyone chuckled quietly.

 **"Who are you, Chiron? Who ... who am I?"  
Chiron smiled. He shifted his weight as if he were going to get up out of his wheelchair, but I knew that was impossible. He was paralyzed from the waist down.**

"Keep telling yourself that Perce." Travis said while patting his back. Percy just blushed slightly.

 **"Who are you?" he mused. "Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? But for now, we should get you a bunk in cabin eleven. There will be new friends to meet. And plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, there will be s'mores at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore chocolate."  
And then he did rise from his wheelchair. But there was something odd about the way he did it. His blanket fell away from his legs, but the legs didn't move. His waist kept getting longer, rising above his belt. At first, I thought he was wearing very long, white velvet underwear, **

"Seriously? Velvet underwear?" Rachel said chuckling. Percy blushed even more.

 **but as he kept rising out of the chair, taller than any man, I realized that the velvet underwear wasn't underwear; it was the front of an animal, muscle and sinew under coarse white fur. And the wheelchair wasn't a chair. It was some kind of container, an enormous box on wheels, and it must've been magic,**

"Courtesy of Hecate." Chiron said smiling slightly.

 **because there's no way it could've held all of him. A leg came out, long and knobby-kneed, with a huge polished hoof. Then another front leg, then hindquarters, and then the box was empty, nothing but a metal shell with a couple of fake human legs attached.**

 **I stared at the horse who had just sprung from the wheelchair: a huge white stallion. But where its neck should be was the upper body of my Latin teacher, smoothly grafted to the horse's trunk.  
"What a relief," the centaur said. "I'd been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come, Percy Jackson. Let's meet the other campers."**

"That's the end." Announced Achilles. "I'll read next." Athena said. Achilles passed her the book and she read

 **I Become Supreme Lord  
of the Bathroom.**

* * *

 **Wow! End of the chapter! Anyways review, leave your comments and such, and check out my other stories. I ended up doing a mortal meets story because I got a good idea and quickly wrote it but I proably will be starting a camp reaction story soon so keep and eye out! Anyways,**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	8. I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom

**Disclaimer~ I do not own the PJO series.**

* * *

Clarisse groaned and moaned "Not this part." While both Annabeth, Percy and the rest of the older campers started laughing. "What?" Asked a confused Jason "You'll find out!" Laughed Grover.

 **Once I got over the fact that my Latin teacher was a horse, we had a nice tour, though I was careful not to walk behind him. I'd done pooper-scooper patrol in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade a few times, and, I'm sorry, I did not trust Chiron's back end the way I trusted his front.**

"Thanks Percy." Chiron said amused as everyone else laughed.

 **We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed to the minotaur horn I was carrying. Another said, "That's him."**

"Not to full of yourself huh?" Octavian said mockingly and Hercules nodded his head in agreement. Everyone who had been there when Percy first came glared at the pair. "Actually I was in volleyball pit during that time and I said 'that's him' so shut it." Will said angrily.

 **Most of the campers were older than me. Their satyr friends were bigger than Grover, all of them trotting around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts, with nothing else to cover their bare shaggy hindquarters. I wasn't normally shy, but the way they stared at me made me uncomfortable. I felt like they were expecting me to do a flip or something.**

"So that's why do don't like attention!" Frank said while lights dawned on everyone else. "Well yeah when everyone starts at me like that… I don't know I just don't like it." Percy stutter while rubbing the back of his neck a bit embarrassed. Everyone chuckled while Artemis was silently think _a boy who doesn't like attention? Impressive._

 **I looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than I'd realized-four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort. I was checking out the brass eagle weather vane on top when something caught my eye, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I got the distinct impression I was being watched.**

Apollo shot straight up hearing that. "The oracle moved?" He asked clearly surprised. "Yeah but it might have been my imagination..." Percy tried to say but was cut off by Chiron, "Oh it moved Percy, you weren't mistaken."

 **"What's up there?" I asked Chiron.  
He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."  
"Somebody lives there?"  
"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."**

"But I thought Rachel was the oracle." Piper whispered so only the demigods could hear her. "I am but this was before me." Rachel whispered back.

 **I got the feeling he was being truthful. But I was also sure something had moved that curtain.  
"Come along, Percy," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."  
We walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe.  
Chiron told me the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. "It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."**

"Thanks to me." Dionysus said smugly while Pollux just rolled his eyes at his father.

 **He said Mr. D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants: they just went crazy when he was around. It worked best with wine grapes, but Mr. D was restricted from growing those, so they grew strawberries instead. I watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire. I wondered if Grover could work that kind of magic with music.**

"Nope!" Conner said happily. "Hey!" Grover called out.

 **I wondered if he was still inside the farmhouse, getting chewed out by Mr. D.  
"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?" I asked Chiron. "I mean ... he was a good protector. Really."**

"Thanks for trying Perce!"

 **Chiron sighed. He shed his tweed jacket and draped it over his horse's back like a saddle. "Grover has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill."**

"But he did do that!" Hermes said confused.

 **"But he did that!"  
"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate ... ah ... fate of your mother. **

"Oh but still at least he got Percy?" It came out more of a question than a statement.

 **And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."  
I wanted to protest. None of what happened was Grover's fault. I also felt really, really guilty. If I hadn't given Grover the slip at the bus station, he might not have gotten in trouble.**

"Ya sorry about that G-Man." "It's fine man."

 **"He'll get a second chance, won't he?"  
Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age... ."**

"Hey! What is it pick on Grover day?" "Sorry Grover but I kinda agree with Chiron on that one, but don't worry, you're not small for your age now." Annabeth said soothing.

 **"How old is he?" "Oh, twenty-eight."**

"What!" Exclaimed everyone who didn't know how satyrs aged.

 **"What! And he's in sixth grade?"  
"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."**

"Oh!"

 **"That's horrible."  
"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career... ."**

"It's a good thing you didn't." Juniper said cuddling her boyfriend.

 **"That's not fair," I said. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"  
Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?"  
But I wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop. Something had occurred to me when Chiron talked about my mother's fate, as if he were intentionally avoiding the word death. The beginnings of an idea-a tiny, hopeful fire-started forming in my mind.**

"No! Don't do it!" Poseidon and Theseus yelled at the same time. "Do what?" Asked Hazel. "Well we think a lot alike, and knowing him he's going to plan a trip to the underworld." Theseus explained. Everyone who didn't know this paled while Hades said sadly "Going to the underworld is a one way trip." Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Thalia, and Nico all had to hide theirs grins when Hades said that.

 **"Chiron," I said. "If the gods and Olympus and all that are real ..."  
"Yes, child?"  
"Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?" **

"See told you."

 **Chiron's expression darkened.  
"Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now ... until we know more ... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."  
"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"**

"Wait do you mean that Sally's not dead?" Asked a confused Leo.

 **"Come, Percy. Let's see the woods."  
As we got closer, I realized how huge the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since the Native Americans.**

"They are." Demeter said happily.

 **Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."  
"Stocked with what?" I asked. "Armed with what?"  
"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"**

"Why would have a sword and shield? He just found out about the world we live in." "It slipped my mind."

 **"My own-?"  
"No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I'll visit the armory later."  
I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armory, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued. We saw the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much), **

"No he doesn't." All the campers said at the same time.

 **the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights. "Sword and spear fights?" I asked.  
"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained. "Not lethal. Usually. Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall."  
Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.  
"What do you do when it rains?" I asked.  
Chiron looked at me as if I'd gone a little weird. "We still have to eat, don't we?" I decided to drop the subject.**

"Don't worry Percy we all asked him the same question and he gave us that answer too." Malcolm said while Chiron looked confused _what is wrong with that answer?_ he thought.

 **Finally, he showed me the cabins. There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they were without doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.**

The gods started looking offended Percy quickly put in "But the best." All the gods visibly calmed down.

 **Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory.**

Hephaestus smiled along with all his kids.

 **Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass.**

Demeter and her kids smiled

 **Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at.**

Apollo nodded his head smiling like an idiot.

 **They all faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).**

"That sounds beautiful." A roman said wistfully. "It is." Was all he got for a response.

 **In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined fire pit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.**

"Lady Hestia?" The Greeks said at the same time the Romans said "Lady Vestia?" They all turned to look at the hearth to see said goddess playing with the flames. "I'm sorry Lady Hestia for not stopping to talk." Percy apologized. "It's alright young hero, not many do." A few demigods looked guilty at hearing but others liked confused. "You saw Lady Hestia when you got to camp?" "Yeah didn't you?" "No…" After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence Rachel cleared her throat and continued.

 **The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve. Its polished bronze doors shimmered like a hologram, so that from different angles lightning bolts seemed to streak across them.**

Zeus and Hercules smiles smugly when hearing their cabins. Jason, Thalia, and Perseus, on the other hand, didn't show any acknowledgment of their cabin.

 **Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.**

Hers smiled proudly.

 **"Zeus and Hera?" I guessed.  
"Correct," Chiron said.  
"Their cabins look empty."  
"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."**

"Like it should be." Hera said glaring directly at her husband. Zeus withered under her glare.

 **Okay. So each cabin had a different god, like a mascot. Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. But why would some be empty?  
I stopped in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.**

"Why am I not surprised?" Muttered Clarisse.

 **It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. I peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!"  
Before he could pull me back, I caught the salty scent of the interior, like the wind on the shore at Montauk. **

"Lucky!" The Stolls complained at the same time, "Our cabin smells like stinky socks!"

 **The interior walls glowed like abalone. There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. The place felt so sad and lonely, I was glad when Chiron put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Come along, Percy."  
Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.  
Number five was bright red-a real nasty paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists. **

"It had!" An Ares kid said proudly. While Ares smiled wickedly at his kids.

 **The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow me. Inside I could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared.**

Frank leaned forward and whispered to Percy "Those are my sibling?" "Sadly yes." Percy answered back. Frank groaned and leaned back.

 **The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on me and gave me an evil sneer. She reminded me of Nancy Bobofit, though the camper girl was much bigger and tougher looking, and her hair was long and stringy, and brown instead of red.**

"I take being compared to Nancy as discrepful Prissy." Clarisse joked.

 **I kept walking, trying to stay clear of Chiron's hooves. "We haven't seen any other centaurs," I observed.  
"No," said Chiron sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid.**

"PARTY PONIES ARE THE BEST!"

 **You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."**

 **"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really ..."  
He smiled down at me. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules **

Hercules smiled brightly hearing his name while everyone else, including Chiron, rolled their eyes.

 **and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."  
"But, shouldn't you be dead?"**

"Wow that was nice of you seaweed brain." "Sorry but I leant a lot that day and let's face it my brain doesn't have a filter." "Touché."

 **Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him. "I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish ... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."**

"You are very needed." The Greek campers assured Chiron while he smiled and felt touched.

 **I thought about being a teacher for three thousand years. It wouldn't have made my Top Ten Things to Wish For list.**

"Mine neither."

 **"Doesn't it ever get boring?"  
"No, no," he said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."  
"Why depressing?" Chiron seemed to turn hard of hearing again.**

"Why do you think idiot?" Octavian sneered. Everyone glared at him while Percy just shrugged.

 **"Oh, look," he said. "Annabeth is waiting for us."  
The blond girl**

"Would you stop calling me the blond girl?" Annabeth asked annoyed, Percy just grinned at her.

 **I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.**

"When does she not?" Piper said jokingly.

 **When we reached her, she looked me over critically, like she was still thinking about how much I drooled.**

"I was." "Thanks wise girl."

 **I tried to see what she was reading, but I couldn't make out the title. I thought my dyslexia was acting up. Then I realized the title wasn't even English. The letters looked Greek to me. I mean, literally Greek. There were pictures of temples and statues and different kinds of columns, like those in an architecture book.  
"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Cabin eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."**

"Yeah for like three days." Percy grumbled under his breath.

 **Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old.**

"Hey!" Hermes cried out, "That's my cabin!" "No offence Lord Hermes, but it does kinda look old." Percy said. Hermes sighed and said "I really need to fix that." All his kids nodded their heads.

 **The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway was one of those doctor's symbols, a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. What did they call it... ? A caduceus.  
Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds. Sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor. It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.**

Que glares at the other gods. "How about you all claim your children so my cabin wouldn't be so full?" "I thought they had a promise though." Jason whispered to the demigods. All he got for a response was "This was before."

 **Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.  
"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner."  
He galloped away toward the archery range.  
I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at me, sizing me up. I knew this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools.**

"Really? I always thought you would be popular." Leo said with surprise evident in his voice. Percy snorted "No I was the little kid every used as a punching bag." Everyone looked shocked by that answer until Grover spoke up, "Actually when you were at Yancy you could have been popular but since people didn't like me you chose not to." Percy looked confused while everyone else looked normal again. "Really?" Was all Percy muttered then he shrugged and Rachel read on.

 **"Well?" Annabeth prompted. "Go on."  
So naturally I tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of myself. **

"That was hilarious!" Conner said laughing at the memory. "Thanks, I feel the love."

 **There were some snickers from the campers, but none of them said anything.  
Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven.  
"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.  
I didn't know what to say, but Annabeth said, "Undetermined." Everybody groaned.**

All the demigods who never got claimed glared at the gods.

 **A guy who was a little older than the rest came forward. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."  
The guy was about nineteen, and he looked pretty cool. He was tall and muscular, with short-cropped sandy hair and a friendly smile. **

All the Greek campers sucked in their breaths "Luke." They all muttered to themselves.

 **He wore an orange tank top, cutoffs, sandals, and a leather necklace with five different-colored clay beads. The only thing unsettling about his appearance was a thick white scar that ran from just beneath his right eye to his jaw, like an old knife slash.  
"This is Luke," Annabeth said, and her voice sounded different somehow. I glanced over and could've sworn she was blushing. **

Aphrodite squealed, "I sense a love triangle!" Percy muttered to himself "More like a pentagon." All of a sudden Athena spoke in Annabeth's mind, _Why didn't you end up with Luke? He sounds much for presentable than the sea spawn._ Annabeth glared at her mom then turned and crashed her lip into Percy's. Annabeth kissed Percy passionately who returned it even though he was confused.

After a heated make out section Annabeth pulled away, cuddled in, and glared at her mom. Percy finally spoke up "Why the sudden make out? Not that I mind." Everyone else eyed Annabeth asking the same question. "Oh nothing just my mother saying that I would be better off with Luke." At this everyone who knew Luke or knew how much Percy and Annabeth loved each other turned and glared at the wisdom goddess. Said goddess glared at Percy for a second before Rachel continuing on with the story.

 **She saw me looking, and her expression hardened again. "He's your counselor for now."  
"For now?" I asked.  
"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."**

Hermes and his kids all looked up proudly.

 **I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given me. I had nothing to put there to mark it as my own, no luggage, no clothes, no sleeping bag. Just the Minotaur's horn. I thought about setting that down,**

"DO IT!" All the new Hermes kids screamed.

 **but then I remembered that Hermes was also the god of thieves.**

"Smart kid." Hermes said smiling.

 **I looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they were waiting for a chance to pick my pockets.**

"We were."

 **"How long will I be here?" I asked.  
"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined." "How long will that take?"  
The campers all laughed.  
"Come on," Annabeth told me. "I'll show you the volleyball court."  
"I've already seen it."  
"Come on." She grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside. I could hear the kids of cabin eleven laughing behind me.**

All the older Hermes campers winched. "Sorry, we didn't realize we treated you like that." They all apologized Percy just smile warmly at them and said "Don't worry about it." All the gods looked impressed that he could be so forgiving.

 **When we were a few feet away, Annabeth said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."**

"Woah cranky Annabeth." Leo said before ducking at a sword was chucked over his head.

 **"What?"  
She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one."**

"Leo's right you were cranky." This time riptide went flying over the Stolls heads.

 **"What's your problem?" I was getting angry now. "All I know is, I kill some bull guy-"  
"Don't talk like that!" Annabeth told me. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"**

"To get killed?" Asked Piper confused.

 **"To get killed?"**

Percy smiled at Piper who smiled back.

 **"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?"**

"I don't know _Annie_? To survive?" Thalia said a bit angry. "Don't call me that and I had been stuck there for five years and I wanted to get out. I had my priorities wrong, sorry." Thalia softened actually hearing Annabeth admit she was wrong, which rarely happens due to her pride.

 **I shook my head. "Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories ..."  
"Yes."  
"Then there's only one."  
"Yes."  
"And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So ..."**

"Yeah I was wondering about that." Theseus piped up.

 **"Monsters don't die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don't die."  
"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."  
"They don't have souls, like you and me. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually, they re- form."**

All the former heroes paled at the thought "Does that Medusa…" Perseus said weakly . All the demigods gave them a sad smile conforming all their fears.

 **I thought about Mrs. Dodds. "You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword-"  
"The Fur ... I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."**

"Yeah she is still fuming about that." Nico whispered to the camps.

 **"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?"  
"You talk in your sleep." **

"A lot." Percy just smiled sheepishly.

 **"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"  
Annabeth glanced nervously at the ground, as if she expected it to open up and swallow her. "You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."  
"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?" ** **I sounded whiny, even to myself, but right then I didn't care.**

"When do you care?" Asked Rachel smirking interrupting herself.

 **"Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."  
I pointed to the first few cabins, and Annabeth turned pale. "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or ... your parent."  
She stared at me, waiting for me to get it.  
"My mom is Sally Jackson," **

"Wow someone's thick headed." Octavian sneered. Annabeth glared at him before Chris piped up "Nobody explained he had a godly parent so back off."

 **I said. "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to."**

Everyone looked down sadly.

 **"I'm sorry about your mom, Percy. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad."  
"He's dead. I never knew him."  
Annabeth sighed. Clearly, she'd had this conversation before with other kids. **

"I had and when did you get observant?" "I always had just people also thought I was slow so they didn't notice." When he saw everyone look down ashamed he quickly added "But don't worry I am really slow."

 **"Your father's not dead, Percy."  
"How can you say that? You know him?" "No, of course not."**

"You do now." Poseidon said smiling warmly at Annabeth who smile back and it grew when she saw the look her mom was sending her.

 **"Then how can you say-"  
"Because I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us."**

"Well that's a vague way of explaining it." Nico said amused. "Sorry I didn't realize that he hadn't seen the orientation film."

 **"You don't know anything about me."  
"No?" She raised an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."  
"How-"  
"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."  
I tried to swallow my embarrassment. "What does that have to do with anything?"  
"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD-you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battle-field reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. **

"And thank the gods you have them otherwise you would be dead." Katie said with everyone agreeing.

 **As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, Percy, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."  
"You sound like ... you went through the same thing?"  
"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar." "Ambrosia and nectar."  
"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a half- blood."**

"And it all begins." Leo stated dramatically. Everyone rolled their eyes and the Oracle continued.

 **A half-blood.  
I was reeling with so many questions I didn't know where to start.  
Then a husky voice yelled, "Well! A newbie!"**

Clarisse groaned loudly and hide her face in Chris shoulder. Everyone who was there stiffened laughs.

 **I looked over. The big girl from the ugly red cabin was sauntering toward us. She had three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.**

"Thanks!" An Ares girl said sarcastically. Percy just grinned.

 **"Clarisse," Annabeth sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"  
"Sure, Miss Princess," the big girl said. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."  
''Erre es korakas!" **

"Annabeth language!" Piper pretended to scold while the Romans looked confused not know what it meant.

 **Annabeth said, which I somehow understood was Greek for 'Go to the crows!' though I had a feeling it was a worse curse than it sounded.**

That cleared it up for the Romans.

 **"You don't stand a chance."  
"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse said, but her eye twitched. Perhaps she wasn't sure she could follow through on the threat. **

"Stop being so damn observant." Clarisse sighed.

 **She turned toward me. "Who's this little runt?"  
"Percy Jackson," Annabeth said, "meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares." I blinked. **

Ares smiled at his daughter while Clarisse smiled weakly back.

 **"Like ... the war god?"**

"You got a problem with that?" Sneered Ares.

 **Clarisse sneered. "You got a problem with that?"**

"CREEPY!" Travis whispered-shouted to his brother who nodded.

 **"No," I said, recovering my wits. "It explains the bad smell."**

"Oh burn!" Everyone laughed. While Are started getting ticked off.

 **Clarisse growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy."  
"Percy."  
"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."  
"Clarisse-" Annabeth tried to say.  
"Stay out of it, wise girl."**

Everyone gasped and looked at Percy and Annabeth. "Is that where is started?" Piper squealed, her mom shining through her. Percy, Clarisse, and Annabeth nodded and the Aphrodite kids squealed together.

 **Annabeth looked pained, but she did stay out of it, and I didn't really want her help. I was the new kid. I had to earn my own rep.  
I handed Annabeth my minotaur horn and got ready to fight, but before I knew it, Clarisse had me by the neck and was dragging me toward a cinder-block building that I knew immediately was the bathroom.**

"YA SHOW THE PUNK!" The war God screamed.

 **I was kicking and punching. I'd been in plenty of fights before, but this big girl Clarisse had hands like iron.**

"Thank you! I pride myself on being able to hold onto newbies."

 **She dragged me into the girls' bathroom. There was a line of toilets on one side and a line of shower stalls down the other. It smelled just like any public bathroom, and I was thinking-as much as I could think with Clarisse ripping my hair out-that if this place belonged to the gods, they should've been able to afford classier johns.**

"He does have a point." Hades pointed out while all the other gods looked at him confused. He shrugged and said "Just saying."

 **Clarisse's friends were all laughing, and I was trying to find the strength I'd used to fight the Minotaur, but it just wasn't there.  
"Like he's 'Big Three' material," Clarisse said as she pushed me toward one of the toilets. "Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking."  
Her friends snickered.  
Annabeth stood in the corner, watching through her fingers.**

"You didn't do anything?" Hazel asked shocked. Annabeth shrugged and said "He said not to."

 **Clarisse bent me over on my knees and started pushing my head toward the toilet bowl. It reeked like rusted pipes and, well, like what goes into toilets. I strained to keep my head up. I was looking at the scummy water, thinking, I will not go into that. I won't.**

"Yeah right punk." Ares said finally happy that there was action. Clarisse hid her face while everyone else snickered.

 **Then something happened. I felt a tug in the pit of my stomach.**

That wiped the smile off the god's face.

 **I heard the plumbing rumble, the pipes shudder. Clarisse's grip on my hair loosened. Water shot out of the toilet, making an arc straight over my head, and the next thing I knew, I was sprawled on the bathroom tiles with Clarisse screaming behind me.**

Everyone started laughing.

 **I turned just as water blasted out of the toilet again, hitting Clarisse straight in the face so hard it pushed her down onto her butt. The water stayed on her like the spray from a fire hose, pushing her backward into a shower stall.  
She struggled, gasping, and her friends started coming toward her. But then the other toilets exploded, too, and six more streams of toilet water blasted them back. The showers acted up, too, and together all the fixtures sprayed the camouflage girls right out of the bathroom, spinning them around like pieces of garbage being washed away.**

Everyone was killing themselves laughing while Poseidon caught his son's eye and winked at him. "You are one powerful demigod." Was the only thing heard over the laughs.

 **As soon as they were out the door, I felt the tug in my gut lessen, and the water shut off as quickly as it had started. The entire bathroom was flooded. Annabeth hadn't been spared.**

"You kind of deserved that." "Shut up Jason."

 **She was dripping wet, but she hadn't been pushed out the door. She was standing in exactly the same place, staring at me in shock.  
I looked down and realized I was sitting in the only dry spot in the whole room. There was a circle of dry floor around me. I didn't have one drop of water on my clothes. Nothing.**

"And you didn't figure out his parent?" Asked Reyna amused. Chiron answered for the campers "I think we all knew but prayed he wasn't." "Why?" Asked a random Roman kid, "Being a child of the big three would be awesome." "Not when your smell is stronger so monsters can track you down easier, a great prophecy, and the two other big three brothers trying to kill you hanging over your head." Percy said nonchalant. That shut the Roman up quickly.

 **I stood up, my legs shaky.  
Annabeth said, "How did you ..."  
"I don't know."  
We walked to the door. Outside, Clarisse and her friends were sprawled in the mud, and a bunch of other campers had gathered around to gawk. **

"That was a sight to see." Travis said fondly. "Yeah," his brother piped up, "no one, and I mean no one, stood up to Clarisse and lived to tell the tale." All the campers nodded their heads in agreement.

 **Clarisse's hair was flattened across her face. Her camouflage jacket was sopping and she smelled like sewage. She gave me a look of absolute hatred. "You are dead, new boy. You are totally dead."  
I probably should have let it go, but I said, "You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth."**

"You can't help yourself can you?" Apollo asked amused. Percy shook his head and said "Nope." Happily while popping the P.

 **Her friends had to hold her back. They dragged her toward cabin five, while the other campers made way to avoid her flailing feet.  
Annabeth stared at me. I couldn't tell whether she was just grossed out or angry at me for dousing her.**

"Probably both."

 **"What?" I demanded. "What are you thinking?" "I'm thinking," she said, "that I want you on my team for capture the flag."**

"That's it." "Let's get some lunch and meet back here in an hour." Zeus said before him, and the rest of the gods zapped out leaving only the demigods.

* * *

 **Wow end of the chapter! I a quick few things to say quickly. 1) Happy Halloween Y'all! 2) Review! And 3) a big thanks to everyone who has followed this story. I have just reached over a hundred! I'm so happy I can't even explain it. When I started this story I never thought one person would follow it let alone a hundred. So yay, thank you so much! 3 3**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	9. My Dinner Goes Up in Smoke

**Hey another update! Anyways IMPORTANT NOTE! Read authors note at the bottom!**

 **Disclaimer (-_-) ~ I am not Rick Riordan, nor will I ever be.**

* * *

Slowly everyone got up to go look around Olympus. People broke off to go look on their own. Percy and Annabeth ran off to who knows where, Thalia and Nico walked off arguing, while the Greeks and Romans mixed a bit before leaving. The only ones left in the room were Octavian and Hercules.

They both say there for a few minutes before Hercules spook up. "I know how we can get back that weakling kid." This piped Octavia's interest. "How?" He asked excitingly. "Get the blondie to ditch him and then embarrass him in front of everyone." Hercules said smiling wickedly. Octavian returned to smile but then it faltered. "But how? The two are attached at the hip." "Don't worry no girl can resist my charm." Hercules said confidently. "Once the girl ditches him for me we will figure out how to embarrass him with her help." Once the two shook on it and grinned like idiots they went off for food.

* * *

An hour later everyone was settled down again. Athena picked up the book. "Who would like read now?" She asked her eyes never left her daughter with the sea gods kid head in her lap while she ran her fingers through her hair. "I will." Hazel volunteered after no one else spoke up. She retreavied the book then read

 **My Dinner Goes Up in Smoke.**

 **Word of the bathroom incident spread immediately. Wherever I went, campers pointed at me and murmured something about toilet water.**

"We were so shocked a newbie beat _and_ embarrassed Clarisse." Pollux said.

 **Or maybe they were just staring at Annabeth, who was still pretty much dripping wet.**

"That too." Piped up Katie.

 **She showed me a few more places: the metal shop (where kids were forging their own swords), the arts- and-crafts room (where satyrs were sandblasting a giant marble statue of a goat-man),**

Hermes looked down sad for his lost son.

 **and the climbing wall, which actually consisted of two facing walls that shook violently, dropped boulders, sprayed lava, and clashed together if you didn't get to the top fast enough.**

"That sounds like so much fun!" A Roman said, "Reyna can we get one?" "No."

 **Finally we returned to the canoeing lake, where the trail led back to the cabins.  
"I've got training to do," Annabeth said flatly. "Dinner's at seven-thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall." "Annabeth, I'm sorry about the toilets."  
"Whatever."  
"It wasn't my fault."**

"Yeah it was."

 **She looked at me skeptically, and I realized it was my fault. I'd made water shoot out of the bathroom fixtures. I didn't understand how. But the toilets had responded to me. I had become one with the plumbing.**

Everyone started howling with laughter "One with the plumbing." Leo laughed. Once everyone calmed down a bit Hazel continued.

 **"You need to talk to the Oracle," Annabeth said.  
"Who?"  
"Not who. What. The Oracle. I'll ask Chiron."**

Everyone who had seen the old Oracle shivered at the thought.

 **I stared into the lake, wishing somebody would give me a straight answer for once.**

"That would be nice." Percy contemplated. "Shut up seaweed brain and listen." "Yes ma'am."

 **I wasn't expecting anybody to be looking back at me from the bottom, so my heart skipped a beat when I noticed two teenage girls sitting cross-legged at the base of the pier, about twenty feet below. They wore blue jeans and shimmering green T-shirts, and their brown hair floated loose around their shoulders as minnows darted in and out. They smiled and waved as if I were a long-lost friend.**

All the boys smiled wistfully while the girls rolled their eyes.

 **I didn't know what else to do. I waved back.  
"Don't encourage them," Annabeth warned. "Naiads are terrible flirts." **

"You could say that again."

 **"Naiads," I repeated, feeling completely overwhelmed. "That's it. I want to go home now."**

Everyone smiled sadly.

 **Annabeth frowned. "Don't you get it, Percy? You are home. This is the only safe place on earth for kids like us."  
"You mean, mentally disturbed kids?"**

"HEY!" Everyone cried out before laughing knowing it's true.

 **"I mean not human. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human."  
"Half-human and half-what?"  
"I think you know."  
I didn't want to admit it, but I was afraid I did. I felt a tingling in my limbs, a sensation I sometimes felt when my mom talked about my dad.  
"God," I said. "Half-god."**

"DA-DA-DUH!" "SHUT UP LEO!" Everyone screamed at the same time.

 **Annabeth nodded. "Your father isn't dead, Percy. He's one of the Olympians."  
"That's ... crazy."  
"Is it? What's the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they've changed their habits in the last few millennia?"**

All the gods smiled sheepishly.

 **"But those are just-" I almost said myths again. Then I remembered Chiron's warning that in two thousand years, I might be considered a myth. "But if all the kids here are half-gods-" "Demigods," Annabeth said. "That's the official term. Or half-bloods."  
"Then who's your dad?"**

"Touchy subject!" Thalia whisper shouted to her brother while Annabeth glared.

 **Her hands tightened around the pier railing. I got the feeling I'd just trespassed on a sensitive subject.**

"Wow fish face in impressed. You are very observant!" Percy just shot a grin in Nico's direction.

 **"My dad is a professor at West Point," she said. "I haven't seen him since I was very small. He teaches American history."  
"He's human."**

Athena rolled her eyes thinking how slow he is and of a way to show Luke is better than Percy.

 **"What? You assume it has to be a male god who finds a human female attractive? How sexist is that?"**

"Very." Artemis said while Percy shot an apologetic smile.

 **"Who's your mom, then?"  
"Cabin six."**

"He doesn't know cabin numbers yet Annie." "Don't call me Annie Thalia and that's always what I say."

 **"Meaning?"  
Annabeth straightened. "Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle."**

Athena smiled proudly while Annabeth's face looked impassive.

 **Okay, I thought. Why not?  
"And my dad?" "Undetermined," Annabeth said, "like I told you before. Nobody knows."  
"Except my mother. She knew."**

"Not always." Aphrodite said sadly.

 **"Maybe not, Percy. Gods don't always reveal their identities."  
"My dad would have. He loved her."  
Annabeth gave me a cautious look. She didn't want to burst my bubble. "Maybe you're right. Maybe he'll send a sign. That's the only way to know for sure: your father has to send you a sign claiming you as his son. Sometimes it happens."**

 **"You mean sometimes it doesn't?"**

All the demigods shot a look at the gods who shifted uncomfortably.

 **Annabeth ran her palm along the rail. "The gods are busy. They have a lot of kids and they don't always ... Well, sometimes they don't care about us, Percy. They ignore us."**

They shifted even more and tried not to look at the group of demigods.

 **I thought about some of the kids I'd seen in the Hermes cabin, teenagers who looked sullen and depressed, as if they were waiting for a call that would never come.**

All the gods looked extremely guilty.

 **I'd known kids like that at Yancy Academy, shuffled off to boarding school by rich parents who didn't have the time to deal with them. But gods should behave better.  
"So I'm stuck here," I said. "That's it? For the rest of my life?"  
"It depends," Annabeth said. "Some campers only stay the summer. If you're a child of Aphrodite or Demeter, you're probably not a real powerful force. **

"Excuse me?" Both goddesses screeched. "I'm sure what she meant was that your kids aren't as big of fighters so they give off less an aura." Percy explained while both goddess calmed down and Annabeth sent him a grateful glance.

 **The monsters might ignore you, so you can get by with a few months of summer training and live in the mortal world the rest of the year. But for some of us, it's too dangerous to leave. We're year-rounders. In the mortal world, we attract monsters. They sense us. They come to challenge us. Most of the time, they'll ignore us until we're old enough to cause trouble-about ten or eleven years old, but after that, most demigods either make their way here, or they get killed off.**

"Wow you Greeks had it hard." Reyna said shocked. The Greeks nodded sadly.

 **A few manage to survive in the outside world and become famous. Believe me, if I told you the names, you'd know them. Some don't even realize they're demigods. But very, very few are like that."  
"So monsters can't get in here?"  
Annabeth shook her head. "Not unless they're intentionally stocked in the woods or specially summoned by somebody on the inside."  
"Why would anybody want to summon a monster?"  
"Practice fights. Practical jokes."**

Travis and Conner smiled wickedly at each other.

 **"Practical jokes?"  
"The point is, the borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. From the outside, mortals look into the valley and see nothing unusual, just a strawberry farm."  
"So ... you're a year-rounder?"  
Annabeth nodded. From under the collar of her T-shirt she pulled a leather necklace with five clay beads of differ-ent colors. It was just like Luke's, except Annabeth's also had a big gold ring strung on it, like a college ring.  
"I've been here since I was seven," **

Everyone who didn't know that looked at Annabeth shock. When she saw the looks she just shrugged and ran another finger through Percy's hair.

 **she said. "Every August, on the last day of summer session, you get a bead for surviving another year. I've been here longer than most of the counselors, and they're all in college."  
"Why did you come so young?" She twisted the ring on her necklace. "None of your business."**

"Wow I was really snappy, sorry." "Don't worry you loosened up when Percy came." Katie soothed while everyone nodded.

 **"Oh." I stood there for a minute in uncomfortable silence. "So ... I could just walk out of here right now if I wanted to?"**

"Huh I never thought of it that way." Travis thought out loud. He turned to his brother "Hey maybe we can-" "NO!" Everyone screamed at the pair who pretended to pout.

 **"It would be suicide, but you could, with Mr. D's or Chiron's permission. But they wouldn't give permission until the end of the summer session unless ..."  
"Unless?"  
"You were granted a quest. But that hardly ever happens. The last time ..."**

The veteran camps shivered at the reminder.

 **Her voice trailed off. I could tell from her tone that the last time hadn't gone well.**

"Not good at all." Jake said.

 **"Back in the sick room," I said, "when you were feeding me that stuff-"  
"Ambrosia."  
"Yeah. You asked me something about the summer solstice."**

"Yeah what about that?" Asked Apollo. "Maybe if we could get through the book without more interruptions we would know." Artemis snapped annoyed at her brother.

 **Annabeth's shoulders tensed. "So you do know something?"  
"Well... no. Back at my old school, I overheard Grover and Chiron talking about it. Grover mentioned the summer solstice. He said something like we didn't have much time, because of the deadline. What did that mean?"**

 **She clenched her fists. "I wish I knew. Chiron and the satyrs, they know, but they won't tell me. Something is wrong in Olympus, something pretty major. Last time I was there, everything seemed so normal."**

"You've been to Olympus before this?" Asked all the Romans shocked. "Yeah multiple times." She replied nonchalantly. When Hazel continued the Romans finally picked up their jaws.

 **"You've been to Olympus?"  
"Some of us year-rounders-Luke and Clarisse and I and a few others-we took a field trip during winter solstice. That's when the gods have their big annual council."  
"But... how did you get there?"  
"The Long Island Railroad, of course. You get off at Penn Station. Empire State Building, special elevator to the six hundredth floor." She looked at me like she was sure I must know this already. **

**"You are a New Yorker, right?"**

"He just learnt about the gods and you expected him to know where Olympus was?" Nico said smirking. "Well sorry I'm a daughter of Athena and I figured it out right away so I figured everyone else knew too."

 **"Oh, sure." As far as I knew, there were only a hundred and two floors in the Empire State Building, but I decided not to point that out.**

"Smart move." Annabeth said smirking at her boyfriend.

 **"Right after we visited," Annabeth continued, "the weather got weird, as if the gods had started fighting. A couple of times since, I've overheard satyrs talking. The best I can figure out is that something important was stolen.**

A few other gods but the connection together and paled at the thought of Zeus reaction.

 **And if it isn't returned by summer solstice, there's going to be trouble. When you came, I was hoping ... I mean- Athena can get along with just about anybody, except for Ares. And of course she's got the rivalry with Poseidon.**

"Would you look at the odds?" Aphrodite squealed that the couple. "I did such a good job!" "But me and Annabeth have barely talked in the books so far." "Oh I can just feel the love edmotting of you too! The last time I've felt that is with Helen of Troy!" Both Percy and Annabeth blushed at the comment while everyone else gave them an _I told you so_ look. Athena and Hercules scowled.

 **But, I mean, aside from that, I thought we could work together. I thought you might know something."  
I shook my head. I wished I could help her, but I felt too hungry and tired and mentally overloaded to ask any more questions.  
"I've got to get a quest," Annabeth muttered to herself. "I'm not too young. If they would just tell me the problem ..." **

**I could smell barbecue smoke coming from somewhere nearby.**

"I like how you can smell food from like a mile away." Clarisse joked. "It's one of my many talents."

 **Annabeth must've heard my stomach growl. She told me to go on, she'd catch me later. I left her on the pier, tracing her finger across the rail as if drawing a battle plan.**

"Classic child of Athena trait." Piper joked.

 **Back at cabin eleven, everybody was talking and horsing around, waiting for dinner. For the first time, I noticed that a lot of the campers had similar features: sharp noses, upturned eyebrows, mischievous smiles. They were the kind of kids that teachers would peg as troublemakers.**

Hermes and his kids all did the grin and looked at each other like they shared a secret joke. Everyone looked freaked out, knowing what that grin meant so Hazel quickly starting reading again.

 **Thankfully, nobody paid much attention to me as I walked over to my spot on the floor and plopped down with my minotaur horn.  
The counselor, Luke, came over. He had the Hermes family resemblance, too. It was marred by that scar on his right cheek, but his smile was intact.  
"Found you a sleeping bag," he said. "And here, I stole you some toiletries from the camp store."  
I couldn't tell if he was kidding about the stealing part.**

"He's not."

 **I said, "Thanks."  
"No prob." Luke sat next to me, pushed his back against the wall. "Tough first day?"  
"I don't belong here," I said. "I don't even believe in gods."**

Zeus huffed about that, while Hercules sneered clearly annoyed at Percy.

 **"Yeah," he said. "That's how we all started. Once you start believing in them? It doesn't get any easier."  
The bitterness in his voice surprised me, because Luke seemed like a pretty easygoing guy. He looked like he could handle just about anything.  
"So your dad is Hermes?" I asked.**

 **He pulled a switchblade out of his back pocket, and for a second I thought he was going to gut me,**

Ares suddenly sat forward anticipating action.

 **but he just scraped the mud off the sole of his sandal.**

He sat back down huffing and crossing his arms like a little kids.

 **"Yeah. Hermes."  
"The wing-footed messenger guy."**

"Thanks for that wonderful description." Hermes said sarcasm dripping off his voice. Percy grinned in his direction sheepishly.

 **"That's him. Messengers. Medicine. Travelers, merchants, thieves. Anybody who uses the roads. That's why you're here, enjoying cabin eleven's hospitality. Hermes isn't picky about who he sponsors."  
I figured Luke didn't mean to call me a nobody. **

"Oh he did." Thalia spat quietly while the veteran campers looked pissed off. Percy, finally putting the pieces together sat up and whispered in Annabeth's ear. "I think he did that on purpose." Annabeth laughed quietly and responded "No duh seaweed brain." She kissed his cheek besides he layed back down in her lap.

 **He just had a lot on his mind.  
"You ever meet your dad?" I asked.  
"Once."  
I waited, thinking that if he wanted to tell me, he'd tell me. Apparently, he didn't. I wondered if the story had anything to do with how he got his scar.**

 **Luke looked up and managed a smile. "Don't worry about it, Percy. The campers here, they're mostly good people. After all, we're extended family, right? We take care of each other."**

"Yeah right." Katie muttered under her breath.

 **He seemed to understand how lost I felt, and I was grateful for that, because an older guy like him-even if he was a counselor-should've steered clear of an uncool middle-schooler like me. But Luke had welcomed me into the cabin. He'd even stolen me some toiletries, which was the nicest thing anybody had done for me all day.**

"Is that why you hated Luke so much? Because you looked up to him? We all thought that you were suspicions of him from the beginning." Malcolm told the demigods. Percy nodded "Yeah I looked up to him but I didn't hate Luke… Just severely disliked him." Everyone laughed and when noticing the gods question looks Percy said "Spoilers." They all accepted his answer and Hazel continued on.

 **I decided to ask him my last big question, the one that had been bothering me all afternoon.**

"It's probably what's for dinner." Jason joked.

 **"Clarisse, from Ares, was joking about me being 'Big Three' material. Then Annabeth ... twice, she said I might be 'the one.' She said I should talk to the Oracle. What was that all about?"**

"Wow you actually asked something that doesn't involve food? It's a miracle!" "Shut it Grace."

 **Luke folded his knife. "I hate prophecies."**

"What do you mean?" Asked the Romans.

 **"What do you mean?"**

Percy smiled at the other camp and gave them a look that spoke _welcome to the thinking like Percy club_.

 **His face twitched around the scar. "Let's just say I messed things up for everybody else.**

"Yeah you did." Nico muttered

 **The last two years, ever since my trip to the Garden of the Hesperides went sour, Chiron hasn't allowed any more quests. Annabeth's been dying to get out into the world. She pestered Chiron so much he finally told her he already knew her fate. He'd had a prophecy from the Oracle. He wouldn't tell her the whole thing, but he said Annabeth wasn't destined to go on a quest yet. She had to wait until... somebody special came to the camp."**

"Aw you were waiting for me!" Percy joked. Everyone laughed as Annabeth hit Percy's arm.

 **"Somebody special?"  
"Don't worry about it, kid," Luke said. "Annabeth wants to think every new camper who comes through here is the omen she's been waiting for. **

"I did not!" "No just every _other_ person." "Shut it Stoll."

 **Now, come on, it's dinnertime."  
The moment he said it, a horn blew in the distance. Somehow, I knew it was a conch shell, even though I'd never heard one before.**

"All the signs were there yet you didn't know?" Apollo said while the others shrugged.

 **Luke yelled, "Eleven, fall in!"  
The whole cabin, about twenty of us, filed into the commons yard. We lined up in order of seniority, so of course I was dead last. Campers came from the other cabins, too, except for the three empty cabins at the end, and cabin eight, which had looked normal in the daytime, but was now starting to glow silver as the sun went down.**

Artemis smiled when hearing her cabin.

 **We marched up the hill to the mess hall pavilion. Satyrs joined us from the meadow. Naiads emerged from the canoeing lake. A few other girls came out of the woods- and when I say out of the woods, I mean straight out of the woods. I saw one girl, about nine or ten years old, melt from the side of a maple tree and come skipping up the hill.**

"Aw Mary is the best." Katie said smiling.

 **In all, there were maybe a hundred campers, a few dozen satyrs, and a dozen assorted wood nymphs and naiads.  
At the pavilion, torches blazed around the marble columns. A central fire burned in a bronze brazier the size of a bathtub. Each cabin had its own table, covered in white cloth trimmed in purple. Four of the tables were empty, but cabin eleven's was way overcrowded. I had to squeeze on to the edge of a bench with half my butt hanging off.**

"I hate when that happens." "Me too." Conner agreed with his brother.

 **I saw Grover sitting at table twelve with Mr. D, a few satyrs, and a couple of plump blond boys who looked just like Mr. D.**

"I am not plump!" Pollux cried. "Sorry man that was my twelve year old opinion." Pollux just crossed his arms and huffed about being 'plump'.

 **Chiron stood to one side, the picnic table being way too small for a centaur.**

"Didn't you try once?" Asked Hermes smiling at the centaur. "Yes but it took two days and eight Hephaestus kids to get me out." Once everyone calmed down they continued on.

 **Annabeth sat at table six with a bunch of serious-looking athletic kids, all with her gray eyes and honey- blond hair.  
Clarisse sat behind me at Ares's table. She'd apparently gotten over being hosed down, because she was laughing and belching right alongside her friends.**

"No I was still pissed."

 **Finally, Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor of the pavilion, and everybody fell silent. He raised a glass. "To the gods!"  
Everybody else raised their glasses. "To the gods!"**

"To us!" Hermes and Apollo screamed while pretending to hold a glass. Artemis slapped both of their heads for that.

 **Wood nymphs came forward with platters of food: grapes, apples, strawberries, cheese, fresh bread, and yes, barbecue! My glass was empty, but Luke said, "Speak to it. Whatever you want-nonalcoholic, of course."**

"Hey that's like ours too!" Squealed a little Roman girl.

 **I said, "Cherry Coke."**

 **The glass filled with sparkling caramel liquid.  
Then I had an idea. "Blue Cherry Coke."  
The soda turned a violent shade of cobalt.  
I took a cautious sip. Perfect.  
I drank a toast to my mother.**

Everyone looked at Percy sadly but he just shrugged it off and motioned for Hazel to continue on.

 **She's not gone, I told myself. Not permanently, anyway. She's in the Underworld. And if that's a real place, then someday...**

"No don't do it!" Poseidon muttered to himself.

 **"Here you go, Percy," Luke said, handing me a platter of smoked brisket.  
I loaded my plate and was about to take a big bite when I noticed everybody getting up, carrying their plates toward the fire in the center of the pavilion. I wondered if they were going for dessert or something.**

Everyone smiled hearing that and the unhappy atmosphere evaporated as quickly as it began.

 **"Come on," Luke told me.  
As I got closer, I saw that everyone was taking a portion of their meal and dropping it into the fire, the ripest strawberry, the juiciest slice of beef, the warmest, most buttery roll.  
Luke murmured in my ear, "Burnt offerings for the gods. They like the smell."**

All the gods sighed happily.

 **"You're kidding."**

"No we are not." Zeus said poker faced.

 **His look warned me not to take this lightly, but I couldn't help wondering why an immortal, all-powerful being would like the smell of burning food.**

"When you put it that way it kind of sounds funny." Thalia pointed out.

 **Luke approached the fire, bowed his head, and tossed in a cluster of fat red grapes. "Hermes."  
I was next.  
I wished I knew what god's name to say.  
Finally, I made a silent plea. Whoever you are, tell me. Please.  
I scraped a big slice of brisket into the flames.  
When I caught a whiff of the smoke, I didn't gag.**

"Really?" Asked a confused Reyna.

 **It smelled nothing like burning food. It smelled of hot chocolate and fresh-baked brownies, hamburgers on the grill and wildflowers, and a hundred other good things that shouldn't have gone well together, but did. I could almost believe the gods could live off that smoke.**

"No you can't, I tried that in the 1800's." Hermes stated.

 **When everybody had returned to their seats and finished eating their meals, Chiron pounded his hoof again for our attention.  
Mr. D got up with a huge sigh. "Yes, I suppose I'd better say hello to all you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels."**

Ares cheered for his kids while Clarisse just gave a grim smile knowing how the game went.

 **A bunch of ugly cheering rose from the Ares table.**

 **"Personally," Mr. D continued, "I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Peter Johnson."  
Chiron murmured something.  
"Er, Percy Jackson," Mr. D corrected. "That's right. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on."  
Everybody cheered. We all headed down toward the amphitheater, where Apollo's cabin led a sing- along. We sang camp songs about the gods and ate s'mores and joked around, and the funny thing was, I didn't feel that anyone was staring at me anymore. I felt that I was home.**

"Yeah the campfire is the best." Jason said happily.

 **Later in the evening, when the sparks from the campfire were curling into a starry sky, the conch horn blew again, and we all filed back to our cabins. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I collapsed on my borrowed sleeping bag.  
My fingers curled around the Minotaur's horn. I thought about my mom, but I had good thoughts: her smile, the bedtime stories she would read me when I was a kid, the way she would tell me not to let the bedbugs bite.**

Percy and everyone who knew Sally sighed happily.

 **When I closed my eyes, I fell asleep instantly.  
That was my first day at Camp Half-Blood.  
I wish I'd known how briefly I would get to enjoy my new home.**

"Foreshadowing." Malcolm said, "And can I read next?" Hazel nodded and handed him the book. He read

 **We Capture a Flag.**

* * *

 **Okay I quickly need to say something that completely pissed me off. Now I'm usually a very layed back person who loves constructive criticism. But I don't like it when you put it, and I quote, "Obviously, you need to spell checked stuff and a beta cause the wording and obvious grammar errors are cringe worthy." If you maybe put it nicer I would not have cared. But including you wrote it with tons of grammar mistakes yourself and pretty much said it like a jerk I have to say two things, 1) I get some of my grammar is bad. I know before writing dialog your suppose to press enter. I just prefer not to for this story, if you check out my other stories I do, just not this one because I find it awkward with the formatting. And 2) if you don't like how I am writing this story by all means stop reading it, I have 11 084 views without you thank you very much. (Which by the way wow! Thanks so much!). So yay. Next time I will gladly except the criticism, as long as you don't write it like a jerk.**

 **Anyways, sorry I really had to rant there, it was actually killing me for a bit. I have to say something quickly concerning LilyGold23. I just want to assure you that I love Athena (Second favourite goddess to Hestia!) but I want her like this for a bit of the story. I'm sorry if you don't like it much, I'm not a big fan of it either, but trust me she will except it some point in the story and it will only be Octavian, Hercules, and Zeus hating to relationship. I would say a lot more but I feel like I'm spoiling a lot. (Sorry if I am! I can't stop once I start...) Okay I really need to shut up now. Review (NICELY!), and check out my other stories!**

 **XOXO~Beth2000**


	10. We Capture a Flag

**Before you read I just have to quickly say something... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SIXTEEN REVIEWS ON THE LAST CHAPTER!**

 **Disclaimer ~ I am not Uncle Rick.**

* * *

 **We Capture a Flag.**

 **The next few days I settled into a routine that felt almost normal, if you don't count the fact that I was getting lessons from satyrs, nymphs, and a centaur.**

"Hey it normal for a demigod." Frank pointed out. "But still Percy's not normal even by demigod standards." Annabeth reasoned. "Hey!" Malcolm continued on once everyone was quiet.

 **Each morning I took Ancient Greek from Annabeth, and we talked about the gods and goddesses in the present tense, which was kind of weird. I discovered Annabeth was right about my dyslexia: Ancient Greek wasn't that hard for me to read. At least, no harder than English. After a couple of mornings, I could stumble through a few lines of Homer without too much headache.**

"That's still my record." Percy joked.

 **The rest of the day, I'd rotate through outdoor activities, looking for something I was good at. Chiron tried to teach me archery,**

"Oh no!" Everyone one groaned. "What?" Asked Poseidon curiously. "Percy can not shoot a bow and arrow worth beans."

 **but we found out pretty quick I wasn't any good with a bow and arrow.**

"See."

 **He didn't complain, even when he had to desnag a stray arrow out of his tail.  
Foot racing? No good either. The wood-nymph instructors left me in the dust. They told me not to worry about it. They'd had centuries of practice running away from lovesick gods. **

All the goddess glared at the gods who just looked away awkwardly.

 **But still, it was a little humiliating to be slower than a tree.**

"You look at things strangely." Reyna commented.

 **And wrestling? Forget it. Every time I got on the mat, Clarisse would pulverize me.**

"Yeah!" Ares cheered. Clarisse shook her head in embarrassment.

 **"There's more where that came from, punk," she'd mumble in my ear.**

 **The only thing I really excelled at was canoeing,**

Everyone gave the Greek campers a look that said _Really? You didn't figure it out?_

 **and that wasn't the kind of heroic skill people expected to see from the kid who had beaten the Minotaur.  
I knew the senior campers and counselors were watching me, trying to decide who my dad was, but they weren't having an easy time of it. **

"No actually you made their jobs very easy." Artemis said looking pointedly at the campers.

 **I wasn't as strong as the Ares kids, or as good at archery as the Apollo kids. I didn't have Hephaestus's skill with metalwork or-gods forbid- Dionysus's way with vine plants. Luke told me I might be a child of Hermes, a kind of jack-of-all-trades, master of none.**

"Hey!" Hermes said sadly. "Let's face you are." Apollo stated trying not to laugh. Hermes grumbled something inaudible to everyone and Malcolm continued on.

 **But I got the feeling he was just trying to make me feel better. He really didn't know what to make of me either.  
Despite all that, I liked camp. I got used to the morning fog over the beach, the smell of hot strawberry fields in the afternoon, even the weird noises of monsters in the woods at night. **

Everyone who has been there smiled happily thinking about home.

 **I would eat dinner with cabin eleven, scrape part of my meal into the fire, and try to feel some connection to my real dad. Nothing came. Just that warm feeling I'd always had, like the memory of his smile. I tried not to think too much about my mom, but I kept wondering: if gods and monsters were real, if all this magical stuff was possible, surely there was some way to save her, to bring her back...**

Theseus looked over at his brother with concern thinking about what he might do.

 **I started to understand Luke's bitterness and how he seemed to resent his father, Hermes. So okay, maybe gods had important things to do. But couldn't they call once in awhile, or thunder, or something?**

All the demigods glanced at their parents glad to see them uncomfortable.

 **Dionysus could make Diet Coke appear out of thin air. Why couldn't my dad, whoever he was, make a phone appear?**

"That is a good point." Nico said.

 **Thursday afternoon, three days after I'd arrived at Camp Half-Blood, I had my first sword-fighting lesson. Every-body from cabin eleven gathered in the big circular arena, where Luke would be our instructor.**

Travis, Conner, and every other Hermes members, that were there, grinned waiting for everyone's reaction to Percy's skills.

 **We started with basic stabbing and slashing, using some straw-stuffed dummies in Greek armor. I guess I did okay. At least, I understood what I was supposed to do and my reflexes were good.**

"Good is an understatement." Annabeth said dead serious. Percy blushed slightly and tried to wave it off.

 **The problem was, I couldn't find a blade that felt right in my hands. Either they were too heavy, or too light, or too long.**

"Weird."

 **Luke tried his best to fix me up, but he agreed that none of the practice blades seemed to work for me.**

 **We moved on to dueling in pairs. Luke announced he would be my partner, since this was my first time.**

The older campers groaned knowing what he would of to the newer members.

 **"Good luck," one of the campers told me. "Luke's the best swordsman in the last three hundred years."**

Hermes looked happy that _his_ son was powerful until Jake burst his bubble. "Not anymore." "Why?" Hermes said slightly annoyed. "I might have…sort have… taken the um… title for him?" Percy finished in question blushing even more. Everyone laughed at Percy's expression, even Hermes.

 **"Maybe he'll go easy on me," I said.  
The camper snorted.  
Luke showed me thrusts and parries and shield blocks the hard way. With every swipe, I got a little more battered and bruised. "Keep your guard up, Percy," he'd say, then whap me in the ribs with the flat of his blade. "No, not that far up!" Whap! "Lunge!" Whap! "Now, back!" Whap!  
By the time he called a break, I was soaked in sweat. Everybody swarmed the drinks cooler. Luke poured ice water on his head, which looked like such a good idea, I did the same.**

"And here is where the butt kicking begins." Leo said dramatically.

 **Instantly, I felt better. Strength surged back into my arms. The sword didn't feel so awkward.  
"Okay, everybody circle up!" Luke ordered. "If Percy doesn't mind, I want to give you a little demo."  
Great, I thought. Let's all watch Percy get pounded.**

"Not going to happen." Travis muttered to his brother.

 **The Hermes guys gathered around. They were suppressing smiles. I figured they'd been in my shoes before and couldn't wait to see how Luke used me for a punching bag.**

"We were."

 **He told everybody he was going to demonstrate a disarming technique: how to twist the enemy's blade with the flat of your own sword so that he had no choice but to drop his weapon.**

"That one is so hard, it takes years to master." Perseus sighed. Percy smirked at him before Malcolm continued.

 **"This is difficult," he stressed. "I've had it used against me. No laughing at Percy, now. Most swordsmen have to work years to master this technique."**

 **He demonstrated the move on me in slow motion. Sure enough, the sword clattered out of my hand.  
"Now in real time," he said, after I'd retrieved my weapon. "We keep sparring until one of us pulls it off. Ready, Percy?"**

"We already know who going to win this one." Octavian muttered to Hercules starting to really like Luke. Hercules agreed wholeheartedly while everyone else glared, except Percy, the Stolls, and the older Hermes members. They all smiled smugly.

 **I nodded, and Luke came after me. Somehow, I kept him from getting a shot at the hilt of my sword.**

Both started slightly doubting their belief. Slightly.

 **My senses opened up. I saw his attacks coming. I countered.**

Now they were really starting to doubt their belief while everyone else silently laughed at the changes on their faces.

 **I stepped forward and tried a thrust of my own. Luke deflected it eas-ily, but I saw a change in his face. His eyes narrowed, and he started to press me with more force.  
The sword grew heavy in my hand. The balance wasn't right. I knew it was only a matter of seconds before Luke took me down, so I figured, What the heck? I tried the disarming maneuver.**

"HA! Like you could do that!" Hercules sneered.

 **My blade hit the base of Luke's and I twisted, putting my whole weight into a downward thrust.  
Clang.**

"You were saying." Percy asked innocently while everyone burst out laughing. "Okay that was funny but how did you do that? It took me three years in training to get it fifty percent of the time." Reyna asked voicing everyone's opinions. Percy turned beet red and shrugged.

 **Luke's sword rattled against the stones. The tip of my blade was an inch from his undefended chest.  
The other campers were silent.**

"Well yeah, we saw Luke take down everyone easily then you come around and on your _first_ class you beat him." Travis said emphasizing the word first. "I would be shocked then too." Hazel said innocently. Everyone laughed a bit then Malcolm continued on.

 **I lowered my sword. "Um, sorry."**

"That was the second thing that shocked us, you _apologized_ for beating him." Conner said.

 **For a moment, Luke was too stunned to speak.**

 **"Sorry?" His scarred face broke into a grin. "By the gods, Percy, why are you sorry? Show me that again!"  
I didn't want to. The short burst of manic energy had completely abandoned me. **

"Ah," Athena said lights dawning in her eyes, "the water helps him." She stated while everyone who knew nodded.

 **But Luke insisted.  
This time, there was no contest. The moment our swords connected, Luke hit my hilt and sent my weapon skidding across the floor.  
After a long pause, somebody in the audience said, "Beginner's luck?"**

"That was me!" Connor screamed excitedly.

 **Luke wiped the sweat off his brow. He appraised at me with an entirely new interest. "Maybe," he said. "But I won** **der what Percy could do with a balanced sword... ."**

"Total destruction." Leo said dead serious. Everyone eagerly nodded their head while Percy's blushed turned even deeper.

 **Friday afternoon, I was sitting with Grover at the lake, resting from a near-death experience on the climbing wall.**

"You have lots of those." Annabeth stated while Percy nodded.

 **Grover had scampered to the top like a mountain goat,**

"Maybe because he is!" Nico said laughing along with everyone else.

 **but the lava had almost gotten me. My shirt had smoking holes in it. The hairs had been singed off my forearms.  
We sat on the pier, watching the naiads do underwater basket-weaving, until I got up the nerve to ask Grover how his conversation had gone with Mr. D.  
His face turned a sickly shade of yellow.  
"Fine," he said. "Just great."  
"So your career's still on track?"  
He glanced at me nervously. "Chiron t-told you I want a searcher's license?"**

"A searcher's license?" Questioned the Romans.

 **"Well... no." I had no idea what a searcher's license was, but it didn't seem like the right time to ask. "He just said you had big plans, you know ... and that you needed credit for completing a keeper's assignment. So did you get it?"  
Grover looked down at the naiads. "Mr. D suspended judgment. He said I hadn't failed or succeeded with you yet, so our fates were still tied together. **

"More like knotted." Percy said with Grover nodded his head eagerly.

 **If you got a quest and I went along to protect you, and we both came back alive, then maybe he'd consider the job complete."  
My spirits lifted. "Well, that's not so bad, right?"  
"Blaa-ha-ha! He might as well have transferred me to stable-cleaning duty. The chances of you getting a quest... **

"Yeah you ended up getting like twenty." Thalia whispered to her cousin. "Yeah I think I'm going to take at least a year break. And not by being asleep." Percy added in afterthought. Every demigod chuckled and Annabeth glared at Hera slightly until Percy sat up and wrapped his arms around her.

 **and even if you did, why would you want me along?"**

 **"Of course I'd want you along!"  
Grover stared glumly into the water. "Basket-weaving ... Must be nice to have a useful skill."**

Juniper kissed her boyfriend's cheek. "You have lots of talents." Every Greek agreed.

 **I tried to reassure him that he had lots of talents, but that just made him look more miserable. We talked about canoeing and swordplay for a while, then debated the pros and cons of the different gods. Finally, I asked him about the four empty cabins.  
"Number eight, the silver one, belongs to Artemis," he said. **

Artemis sat up with pride showing in her eyes.

 **"She vowed to be a maiden forever. So of course, no kids. The cabin is, you know, honorary. If she didn't have one, she'd be mad."**

"Yes I would be."

 **"Yeah, okay. But the other three, the ones at the end. Are those the Big Three?"**

All the gods tensed.

 **Grover tensed. We were getting close to a touchy subject. "No. One of them, number two, is Hera's," he said.**

Now Hera looked proud but all the Greeks glared at her. "What?" She asked angrily. She was the Queen after all. "Oh nothing it just in the future." Percy answers simply.

 **"That's another honorary thing. She's the goddess of marriage, so of course she wouldn't go around having affairs with mortals. That's her husband's job.**

Everyone burst out laughing until Zeus's voice cut everyone else's off. "Why you little-" "Zeus stop you know it true." Hera said angrily. Zeus quickly shut up at the fury in Hera's eyes and everyone went into another round of laughter.

 **When we say the Big Three, we mean the three powerful brothers, the sons of Kronos."  
"Zeus, Poseidon, Hades."**

The three said gods looked up hearing their names.

 **"Right. You know. After the great battle with the Titans, they took over the world from their dad and drew lots to decide who got what."  
"Zeus got the sky," I remembered. "Poseidon the sea, Hades the Underworld."**

"Always the short end." Hades grumbled to himself.

 **"Uh-huh."  
"But Hades doesn't have a cabin here."  
"No. He doesn't have a throne on Olympus, either. He sort of does his own thing down in the Underworld. If he did have a cabin here ..." Grover shuddered. "Well, it wouldn't be pleasant. Let's leave it at that."**

Hades and Nico both glared at Grover. "Uncle Hades, I'm sure it would be really cool with like, green fire outside the door or something cool like that. And maybe it would be built by dead people." Percy started musing. Everyone stiffened their giggles knowing what Percy was doing. Hades was less mad while Nico was killing himself laughing so Malcolm decided it was safe to continue reading.

 **"But Zeus and Poseidon-they both had, like, a bazillion kids in the myths. Why are their cabins empty?"**

"Stupid oath." Zeus muttered under his breath. "What was that's." "Nothing!" Zeus answered Hera fearfully.

 **Grover shifted his hooves uncomfortably. "About sixty years ago, after World War II, the Big Three agreed they wouldn't sire any more heroes. Their children were just too powerful.**

"Yes and Zeus kids are the most powerful." Hercules said smugly. Everyone turned and glared at his except Zeus who also smiled smugly. "Actually idiot, even though I don't admit this often, kelp head is the most powerful demigod born in a _long_ time." Every single demigod agreed with Thalia while Percy blushed ferously. "Yeah," Piped up a little girl from Camp Jupiter, "when I first saw him I thought he was a god with all the power radiating off him, actually I thought he was Neptune." All the Roman agreed. That wiped the look off Hercules and Zeus faces. _He's too powerful_ was the only thought going through Zeus head now.

 **They were affecting the course of human events too much, causing too much carnage. World War II, you know, that was basically a fight between the sons of Zeus and Poseidon on one side, and the sons of Hades on the other. The winning side, Zeus and Poseidon, made Hades swear an oath with them:**

"That's ironic 'cause he the only one who kept it." Percy whispered in Annabeth ear. Just laughed silently and whispered back "Definitely ironic."

 **no more affairs with mortal women. They all swore on the River Styx."  
Thunder boomed. **

**I said, "That's the most serious oath you can make."**

"Wow. You are smarter than you look." Jason joked while Percy stuck his tongue out at him. Reyna looked at Greeks with a new understanding. "Now we understand why there were few big three demigods."

 **Grover nodded.  
"And the brothers kept their word-no kids?"**

All the Greeks burst into laughter.

 **Grover's face darkened. "Seventeen years ago, Zeus fell off the wagon.**

Hera turned and glared at Zeus who was sweating bullets.

 **There was this TV starlet with a big fluffy eighties hairdo-he just couldn't help himself. When their child was born, a little girl named Thalia**

All the God turned and looked at Thalia. She just shrugged and grinned wickedly. "I guess my secrets out let me reintroduce myself. My names Thalia and I'm a daughter of Zeus. Oh and Jason's my little brother, born on Jupiter's side though." She finished her announcement with a mock bow. All the demigods were laughing and clapping.

"YOU STIRRED _TWO_ DEMIGODS WITH THE SAME MORTAL AFTER THE OATH!" All the gods had to help hold down Hera while Zeus hid behind his throne. Eventually she calmed down enough so Malcolm could continue even though she still sent death glares to him repeatedly.

 **.. . well, the River Styx is serious about promises. Zeus himself got off easy because he's immortal, but he brought a terrible fate on his daughter."  
"But that isn't fair.' It wasn't the little girl's fault."  
Grover hesitated. "Percy, children of the Big Three have powers greater than other half-bloods. They have a strong aura, a scent that attracts monsters. When Hades found out about the girl, he wasn't too happy about Zeus breaking his oath. Hades let the worst monsters out of Tartarus to torment Thalia. **

"Yeah thanks for that." Thalia said jokingly knowing full well why Hades was so mad.

 **A satyr was assigned to be her keeper when she was twelve, but there was nothing he could do. He tried to escort her here with a couple of other half-bloods she'd befriended. They almost made it.**

"Almost?" Athena questioned.

 **They got all the way to the top of that hill."  
He pointed across the valley, to the pine tree where I'd fought the minotaur. "All three Kindly Ones were after them, along with a horde of hellhounds. They were about to be overrun when Thalia told her satyr to take the other two half-bloods to safety while she held off the monsters. She was wounded and tired, and she didn't want to live like a hunted animal. **

"You really can read emotions well." Thalia stated. Grover nodded sadly and Juniper have him big hug and a kiss on the cheek to try and cheer him up.

 **The satyr didn't want to leave her, but he couldn't change her mind,**

"No he couldn't." Thalia said sternly looking at Grover.

 **and he had to protect the others. So Thalia made her final stand alone, at the top of that hill. As she died, Zeus took pity on her. He turned her into that pine tree.**

"But if you're a pine tree how are you here?" Perseus questioned. "You'll find out later." Thalia answered simply.

 **Her spirit still helps protect the borders of the valley. That's why the hill is called Half-Blood Hill."  
I stared at the pine in the distance.**

 **The story made me feel hollow, and guilty too.**

"How?" Hazel asked confused.

 **A girl my age had sacrificed herself to save her friends. She had faced a whole army of monsters. Next to that, my victory over the Minotaur didn't seem like much. I wondered, if I'd acted differently, could I have saved my mother?**

"That's why." Piper said sadly. "You really put much pressure on yourself Perce." Katie said sadly while everyone else agreed.

 **"Grover," I said, "have heroes really gone on quests to the Underworld?"  
"Sometimes," he said. "Orpheus. Hercules. **

Said hero looked up at the mention of his name.

 **Houdini."  
"And have they ever returned somebody from the dead?"  
"No. Never. Orpheus came close... . Percy, you're not seriously thinking-"  
"No," I lied. "I was just wondering. So ... a satyr is always assigned to guard a demigod?"  
Grover studied me warily. I hadn't persuaded him that I'd really dropped the Underworld idea. **

Grover chuckled dryly, "No you didn't."

 **"Not always. We go undercover to a lot of schools. We try to sniff out the half-bloods who have the makings of great heroes. If we find one with a very strong aura, like a child of the Big Three, we alert Chiron. He tries to keep an eye on them, since they could cause really huge problems."**

"Yeah you caused double to amount of trouble." Annabeth joked. Percy leaned in real close and whispered in her ear, "But you love it." He kissed her neck before leaning back again Annabeth sighed happily cuddling in close while everyone was still laughing.

"So a satry does more than beg for money at Camp Half Blood?" Reyna asked in disbelief. "Yeah…" Annabeth answered a bit uneasily. "When we are done with this Grover would you mind helping some of our fauns to actually be helpful?" Reyna asked hopefully. "Of course."

 **"And you found me. Chiron said you thought I might be something special."  
Grover looked as if I'd just led him into a trap. "I didn't... Oh, listen, don't think like that. If you were-you know-you'd never ever be allowed a quest, and I'd never get my license. You're probably a child of Hermes. Or maybe even one of the minor gods, like Nemesis, the god of revenge. **

"God?" Leo asked while laughing his head off. All of her children scowled deeply at Grover who was blushing deeply. "I…I meant goddess." Everyone continued laughing when Percy added "Just be glad _he's_ not here."

 **Don't worry, okay?"  
I got the idea he was reassuring himself more than me.**

"Wow Perce," Grover said still blushing, "you can really read people." "Thanks it one of my many talents." "More like your only talent!" "Shut up Stolls."

 **That night after dinner, there was a lot more excitement than usual.**

 **At last, it was time for capture the flag.  
When the plates were cleared away, the conch horn sounded and we all stood at our tables.  
Campers yelled and cheered as Annabeth and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner. It was about ten feet long, glistening gray, with a painting of a barn owl above an olive tree. **

Athena and her kids are smiled proudly.

 **From the opposite side of the pavilion, Clarisse and her buddies ran in with another banner, of identical size, but gaudy red, painted with a bloody spear and a boar's head.**

Ares smiled proudly while Clarisse hid her head in Chris shoulder,

 **I turned to Luke and yelled over the noise, "Those are the flags?"**

"What else would they be?" Octavian asked snootily. Everyone turned and glared at Octavian.

 **"Yeah."  
"Ares and Athena always lead the teams?"  
"Not always," he said. "But often."**

"Yeah," Malcolm interrupted himself, "we always win too." All the brain kids agreed while the Ares cabin just snorted and said back, "Whatever floats your boat."

 **"So, if another cabin captures one, what do you do- repaint the flag?"  
He grinned. "You'll see. First we have to get one."  
"Whose side are we on?"  
He gave me a sly look, as if he knew something I didn't. **

"He definitely knew something was about to happen." Percy whispered to the demigods. All the veteran demigods nodded while the others looked confused.

 **The scar on his face made him look almost evil in the torchlight.**

"That's because he is." Nico whispered.

 **"We've made a temporary alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares. And you are going to help."**

 **The teams were announced. Athena had made an alliance with Apollo and Hermes, the two biggest cabins. Apparently, privileges had been traded-shower times, chore schedules, the best slots for activities-in order to win support.  
Ares had allied themselves with everybody else: Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus. From what I'd seen, Dionysus's kids were actually good athletes, but there were only two of them. **

"Thanks." Pollux said smiling slightly. Percy nodded his head at him to acknowledge.

 **Demeter's kids had the edge with nature skills and outdoor stuff but they weren't very aggressive.**

Katie and her siblings looked happy at Percy's description.

 **Aphrodite's sons and daughters I wasn't too worried about.**

Piper rounded and glared at Percy. He smile back and Malcolm continued.

 **They mostly sat out every activity and checked their reflections in the lake and did their hair and gossiped.**

Piper then shrugged and said "True."

 **Hephaestus's kids weren't pretty, and there were only four of them, but they were big and burly from working in the metal shop all day. They might be a problem.**

"Yeah we are!" Leo screamed. "I was talking about your siblings not you." Percy said and everyone burst into laughter. Leo tried to look hurt but the smile on his lips betrayed him.

 **That, of course, left Ares's cabin: a dozen of the biggest, ugliest, meanest kids on Long Island, or anywhere else on the planet.**

"Thanks for the description Prissy." "No problem Clarisse."

 **Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble.  
"Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"  
He spread his hands, and the tables were suddenly covered with equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, oxhide shields coated in metal.  
"Whoa," I said. "We're really supposed to use these?"  
Luke looked at me as if I were crazy. **

"That's because you are." Annabeth teased and Percy, being the mature one, stuck his tongue out at her. She returned to gesture.

 **"Unless you want to get skewered by your friends in cabin five. Here-Chiron thought these would fit. You'll be on border patrol."  
My shield was the size of an NBA backboard, with a big caduceus in the middle. It weighed about a million pounds. I could have snowboarded on it fine, but I hoped nobody seriously expected me to run fast. My helmet, like all the helmets on Athena's side, had a blue horsehair plume on top. Ares and their allies had red plumes.**

"You did look pretty funny that night." Travis laughed.

 **Annabeth yelled, "Blue team, forward!"  
We cheered and shook our swords and followed her down the path to the south woods. The red team yelled taunts at us as they headed off toward the north.  
I managed to catch up with Annabeth without tripping over my equipment. "Hey."  
She kept marching.**

"Rude much?" Thalia teased. Annabeth looked down ashamed until Percy kissed her temple and whispered "Don't worry about it."

 **"So what's the plan?" I asked. "Got any magic items you can loan me?"  
Her hand drifted toward her pocket, as if she were afraid I'd stolen something.**

Annabeth whacked Percy's arm, "You never told me you were this good at reading people seaweed brain." He just grinned at her.

 **"Just watch Clarisse's spear,"**

Cough, "Lamier." Cough, cough. Conner coughed out while Clarisse gave him the death glare while everyone else why trying, and failing, not to laugh. Even the gods were amused by their children's interactions.

 **she said. "You don't want that thing touching you. Otherwise, don't worry. We'll take the banner from Ares. Has Luke given you your job?"  
"Border patrol, whatever that means."  
"It's easy. Stand by the creek, keep the reds away. Leave the rest to me. Athena always has a plan."**

"Even for stupid things." Nico said while dodging a knife that was thrown near his head.

 **She pushed ahead, leaving me in the dust.  
"Okay," I mumbled. "Glad you wanted me on your team." **

**It was a warm, sticky night. The woods were dark, with fireflies popping in and out of view. Annabeth stationed me next to a little creek that gurgled over some rocks, then she and the rest of the team scattered into the trees.  
Standing there alone, with my big blue-feathered helmet and my huge shield, I felt like an idiot. **

"That's cause you are." "Thanks sparky."

 **The bronze sword, like all the swords I'd tried so far, seemed balanced wrong. The leather grip pulled on my hand like a bowling ball.  
There was no way anybody would actually attack me, would they? I mean, Olympus had to have liability issues, right?**

Everyone laughed at Percy's thoughts.

 **Far away, the conch horn blew. I heard whoops and yells in the woods, the clanking of metal, kids fighting. A blue-plumed ally from Apollo raced past me like a deer, leaped through the creek, and disappeared into enemy territory.**

"That's an interesting comparison." Achilles stated.

 **Great, I thought. I'll miss all the fun, as usual.  
Then I heard a sound that sent a chill up my spine, a low canine growl, somewhere close by.**

All the laughter died down and the atmosphere became tense

 **I raised my shield instinctively; I had the feeling something was stalking me.  
Then the growling stopped. I felt the presence retreating.  
On the other side of the creek, the underbrush exploded. Five Ares warriors came yelling and screaming out of the dark.  
"Cream the punk!" Clarisse screamed.**

"YEAH!" Ares screamed excitedly, "FINALLY SOME ACTION!"

 **Her ugly pig eyes glared through the slits of her helmet. She brandished a five-foot-long spear, its barbed metal tip flickering with red light. Her siblings had only the standard-issue bronze swords-not that that made me feel any better.  
They charged across the stream. There was no help in sight. I could run. Or I could defend myself against half the Ares cabin.**

Leo looked at Percy completely serious and said, "You are so screwed." Percy just raised an eyebrow at the statement but said nothing.

 **I managed to sidestep the first kid's swing, but these guys were not as stupid the Minotaur. They surrounded me, and Clarisse thrust at me with her spear. My shield deflected the point, but I felt a painful tingling all over my body. My hair stood on end. My shield arm went numb, and the air burned.**

Percy started rubbing his arms noticing everyone's eyes on him he waved it off and Malcolm continued.

 **Electricity. Her stupid spear was electric. I fell back.  
Another Ares guy slammed me in the chest with the butt of his sword and I hit the dirt.  
They could've kicked me into jelly, but they were too busy laughing.**

"Thanks the gods." Percy muttered to himself lightly rubbing his chest.

 **"Give him a haircut," Clarisse said. "Grab his hair."  
I managed to get to my feet. I raised my sword, but Clarisse slammed it aside with her spear as sparks flew. Now both my arms felt numb.  
"Oh, wow," Clarisse said. "I'm scared of this guy. Really scared."**

"I am." Travis said innocently while everyone else nodded. Percy looked a bit surprised, "I scare everyone?" He questioned a bit sad. "Only when your mad." Katie said. Percy was still a little sad until Nico said the final thing that put everything together, "They both mean the look on your face when someone threatens your friends and family." Percy thought for a minute before he smiled again.

 **"The flag is that way," I told her. I wanted to sound angry, but I was afraid it didn't come out that way.**

Clarisse let out a bark of laughter and said "It did _not_ sound angry that for sure."

 **"Yeah," one of her siblings said. "But see, we don't care about the flag. We care about a guy who made our cabin look stupid."**

"You do that without help." Theseus grumbled to himself.

 **"You do that without my help,"**

Everyone laughed while Percy winked at his half brother.

 **I told them. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say.**

"No it was not."

 **Two of them came at me. I backed up toward the creek, tried to raise my shield, but Clarisse was too fast. Her spear stuck me straight in the ribs. If I hadn't been wearing an armored breastplate, I would've been shish-kebabbed. As it was, the electric point just about shocked my teeth out of my mouth.**

Percy shook slightly and Annabeth, being the only one to notice hugged him tightly in order to let him know that's she's here. He squeezed back tell her he knows.

 **One of her cabinmates slashed his sword across my arm, leaving a good-size cut.  
Seeing my own blood made me dizzy-warm and cold at the same time.**

Percy clenched his arm and Malcolm hurried up knowing what was coming next.

 **"No maiming," I managed to say.  
"Oops," the guy said. "Guess I lost my dessert privilege."**

"That's it?" Asked Perseus shocked. All the demigods, Greek and Roman alike, and the gods just shrugged.

 **He pushed me into the creek and I landed with a splash.**

"Yeah so… you remember that comment I made that you were screwed?" Leo asked Percy, who had to fight back a smile at the younger boy, "So I take it back, kick-ass Percy's coming out." Percy started laughing alone with everyone else. "Why?" Asked a young Roman.

 **They all laughed. I figured as soon as they were through being amused, I would die. But then something happened. The water seemed to wake up my senses, as if I'd just had a bag of my mom's double-espresso jelly beans.**

Percy smirked and answered, "That's why."

 **Clarisse and her cabinmates came into the creek to get me, but I stood to meet them. I knew what to do. I swung the flat of my sword against the first guy's head and knocked his helmet clean off. I hit him so hard I could see his eyes vibrating as he crumpled into the water.  
Ugly Number Two and Ugly Number Three came at me. I slammed one in the face with my shield and used my sword to shear off the other guy's horsehair plume. Both of them backed up quick. Ugly Number Four didn't look really anxious to attack, but Clarisse kept coming, the point of her spear crackling with energy. As soon as she thrust, I caught the shaft between the edge of my shield and my sword, and I snapped it like a twig.**

Everyone looked at Percy in shock. "Okay I know you are an amazing swordsman but you literally had one lesson." Percy just shot Frank a grin while blushing. "You can stop staring and start reading you know." Percy said while laughing nervously.

 **"Ah!" she screamed. "You idiot! You corpse-breath worm!"**

 **She probably would've said worse, but I smacked her between the eyes with my sword-butt and sent her stumbling backward out of the creek.**

Apollo looked between Percy and Clarisse and said one word, "Nice." While Ares was glaring at Percy.

 **Then I heard yelling, elated screams, and I saw Luke racing toward the boundary line with the red team's banner lifted high.**

"A diversion, good job." Athena said to Annabeth. Even though Annabeth was still mad at her mom she took the complement.

 **He was flanked by a couple of Hermes guys covering his retreat, and a few Apollos behind them, fighting off the Hephaestus kids. The Ares folks got up, and Clarisse muttered a dazed curse.  
"A trick!" she shouted. "It was a trick."  
They staggered after Luke, but it was too late. Everybody converged on the creek as Luke ran across into friendly territory. Our side exploded into cheers. The red banner shimmered and turned to silver. The boar and spear were replaced with a huge caduceus, the symbol of cabin eleven. **

"I want a flag like that!" A Roman complained. "Maybe if you visit Camp Half-Blood your cabin will have the flag." Will said smoothly.

 **Everybody on the blue team picked up Luke and started carrying him around on their shoulders. Chiron cantered out from the woods and blew the conch horn.  
The game was over. We'd won.  
I was about to join the celebration when Annabeth's voice, right next to me in the creek, said, "Not bad, hero."  
I looked, but she wasn't there.  
"Where the heck did you learn to fight like that?" she asked. The air shimmered, and she materialized, holding a Yankees baseball cap as if she'd just taken it off her head.**

 **I felt myself getting angry. I wasn't even fazed by the fact that she'd just been invisible. "You set me up," I said. "You put me here because you knew Clarisse would come after me, while you sent Luke around the flank. You had it all figured out."**

 **Annabeth shrugged. "I told you. Athena always, always has a plan."  
"A plan to get me pulverized."**

"All's fair love and war." Athena said not upset at the least. Everyone glared at Athena while Annabeth tried to apologize to Percy, who just laughed and said, "I'm not mad Annabeth. It was a good plan." Hercules looked at Annabeth with new longing in his eyes. _I have to win her over now if she could do that to the other demigod h_ e thought.

 **"I came as fast as I could. I was about to jump in, but ..." She shrugged. "You didn't need help."  
Then she noticed my wounded arm. "How did you do that?"  
"Sword cut," I said. "What do you think?"  
"No. It was a sword cut. Look at it."**

"What?" Asked a very confused Roman.

 **The blood was gone. Where the huge cut had been, there was a long white scratch, and even that was fading. As I watched, it turned into a small scar, and disappeared.**

"Okay now I'm confused." Stated another demigod.

 **"I-I don't get it," I said.  
Annabeth was thinking hard. I could almost see the gears turning. She looked down at my feet, then at Clarisse's broken spear, and said, "Step out of the water, **

"Oh."

 **Percy."  
"What-"  
"Just do it."  
I came out of the creek and immediately felt bone tired. My arms started to go numb again. My adrenaline rush left me. I almost fell over, but Annabeth steadied me.**

Once again Annabeth was supporting Percy, who just smile at her sheepishly.

 **"Oh, Styx," she cursed. "This is not good. I didn't want ... I assumed it would be Zeus... ."**

"Why would you assume that?" Zeus asked angrily. "Thalia… already had kids." Percy mumbled tiredly. "Yeah I agree with the demigod." Hera snapped.

 **Before I could ask what she meant, I heard that canine growl again, but much closer than before. A howl ripped through the forest.**

Everyone who had been silently laughing now became tense and the older campers and Percy braced themselves for the next event.

 **The campers' cheering died instantly. Chiron shouted something in Ancient Greek, which I would realize, only later, I had understood perfectly: "Stand ready! My bow!"  
Annabeth drew her sword.  
There on the rocks just above us was a black hound the size of a rhino, with lava-red eyes and fangs like daggers.**

"Hellhound…" Reyna whispered and Poseidon griped his throne in worry.

 **It was looking straight at me.  
Nobody moved except Annabeth, who yelled, "Percy, run!"  
She tried to step in front of me, but the hound was too fast. It leaped over her-an enormous shadow with teeth-and just as it hit me, as I stumbled backward and felt its razor-sharp claws ripping through my armor, **

Percy bit down on his lip to keep from screaming out. Everyone saw the pain in Percy's face so Malcolm started reading faster.

 **there was a cascade of thwacking sounds, like forty pieces of paper being ripped one after the other. From the hounds neck sprouted a cluster of arrows. The monster fell dead at my feet.  
By some miracle, I was still alive. I didn't want to look underneath the ruins of my shredded armor. My chest felt warm and wet, and I knew I was badly cut. Another second, and the monster would've turned me into a hundred pounds of delicatessen meat.**

While Malcolm read everyone shoot worried looks at Percy who was trying to hide his pain and was doing a pretty good job at it.

 **Chiron trotted up next to us, a bow in his hand, his face grim.**

 **"Di immortales!" Annabeth said. "That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't ... they're not supposed to ..."  
"Someone summoned it," Chiron said. "Someone inside the camp."**

All the counselors shared a knowing look.

 **Luke came over, the banner in his hand forgotten, his moment of glory gone.**

"He's a good actor." Travis whispered to Katie and Connor.

 **Clarisse yelled, "It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!"**

Hermes looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?" She just shrugged and said "I was mad."

 **"Be quiet, child," Chiron told her.  
We watched the body of the hellhound melt into shadow, soaking into the ground until it disappeared.  
"You're wounded," Annabeth told me. "Quick, Percy, get in the water."  
"I'm okay."  
"No, you're not," she said. "Chiron, watch this."  
I was too tired to argue. I stepped back into the creek, the whole camp gathering around me.  
Instantly, I felt better. I could feel the cuts on my chest closing up. **

Percy sighed in relief and smiled when he saw everyone looking at him. "I think I didn't feel the pain because of the adrenalin that night." He stated. Nico looked at his cousin in shock, "I think that is the smartest thing you have ever said." "Why thank you kind sir." Percy said doing a terrible impression of a British person. Everyone laughed glad to see Percy back to normal.

 **Some of the campers gasped.  
"Look, I-I don't know why," I said, trying to apologize. "I'm sorry..."**

"Apologizing?" Demeter questioned. "I had no idea what was going on." Percy said back.

 **But they weren't watching my wounds heal. They were staring at something above my head.**

 **"Percy," Annabeth said, pointing. "Um ..."  
By the time I looked up, the sign was already fading, but I could still make out the hologram of green light, spinning and gleaming. A three-tipped spear: a trident.  
"Your father," Annabeth murmured. "This is really not good."  
"It is determined," Chiron announced.  
All around me, campers started kneeling, even the Ares cabin, though they didn't look happy about it.  
"My father?" I asked, completely bewildered.**

"Really? Couldn't even figure that one out?" Hercules sneered. Everyone glared while Annabeth said, "He was still in shock."

 **"Poseidon," said Chiron. "Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."**

* * *

 **I have a few questions that if you could answer I would love it. 1) Does anyone see my cover image? Or is it like non-existent? 2) Anyone else listening to Christmas music already? I'm so excited! Just six more Mondays! And 3) Anyone know any good complete Percabeth Fanfictions is can read? If you do please feel free to share. (Especially if it's yours! ;)**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	11. I am Offered a Quest

**Hey people! I am so sorry about not updating like I usually do on Friday, but I have a good reason. On Friday I woke up with a fever of 38 (or 100 for y'all Americans). So yeah I wanted to get better before posting. So yeah, sorry but I couldn't really help it.**

 **Just a heads up there might be a couple of mistakes I'm still not feeling a hundred percent.**

 **Disclaimer~ I am not Rick.**

* * *

 **I am offered a quest.**

"Already?" Asked Hazel.

 **The next morning, Chiron moved me to cabin three.  
I didn't have to share with anybody. I had plenty of room for all my stuff: the Minotaur's horn, one set of spare clothes, and a toiletry bag. I got to sit at my own dinner table, pick all my own activities, call "lights out" whenever I felt like it, and not listen to anybody else.**

"That sounds awesome!" Leo said.

 **And I was absolutely miserable.**

"Wait why?"

 **Just when I'd started to feel accepted, to feel I had a home in cabin eleven and I might be a normal kid- or as normal as you can be when you're a half-blood-I'd been separated out as if I had some rare disease.**

"Oh..."

 **Nobody mentioned the hellhound, but I got the feeling they were all talking about it behind my back.**

"We were…" Travis said sheepishly. "We're sorry Perce." Katie said sincerely. "Don't worry about it."

 **The attack had scared everybody. It sent two messages: one, that I was the son of the Sea God; and two, monsters would stop at nothing to kill me. They could even invade a camp that had always been considered safe.  
The other campers steered clear of me as much as possible. Cabin eleven was too nervous to have sword class with me after what I'd done to the Ares folks in the woods, **

"I'm sorry Perce, I know how that must felt, but I would be nervous too." Piper said while everyone nodded their heads, even Percy.

 **so my lessons with Luke became one-on-one. He pushed me harder than ever, and wasn't afraid to bruise me up in the process.**

"Was probably happy about it too." Thalia growled.

 **"You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised, as we were working with swords and flaming torches. "Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty more repetitions."**

"That's harsh." Apollo commented.

 **Annabeth still taught me Greek in the mornings, but she seemed distracted. Every time I said something, she scowled at me, as if I'd just poked her between the eyes.**

"That's an... interesting way of putting it." Hera said while Annabeth looked apologetically at her boyfriend. Percy shut her up by giving her a quick kiss.

 **After lessons, she would walk away muttering to herself: "Quest ... Poseidon? ... Dirty rotten ... Got to make a plan ..."**

Everyone snickered but stopped immediately after seeing Annabeth's glare.

 **Even Clarisse kept her distance, though her venomous looks made it clear she wanted to kill me for breaking her magic spear. I wished she would just yell or punch me or something. I'd rather get into fights every day than be ignored.**

"I know the feeling man." Leo said completely serious.

 **I knew somebody at camp resented me, because one night I came into my cabin and found a mortal newspaper dropped inside the doorway, a copy of the New York Daily News, opened to the Metro page. The article took me almost an hour to read, because the angrier I got, the more the words floated around on the page.  
BOY AND MOTHER STILL MISSING AFTER  
FREAK CAR ACCIDENT  
BY EILEEN SMYTHE  
Sally Jackson and son Percy are still missing one week after their mysterious disappearance. The family's badly burned '78 Camaro was discovered last Saturday on a north Long Island road with the roof ripped off and the front axle broken. The car had flipped and skidded for several hundred feet before exploding.  
Mother and son had gone for a weekend vacation to Montauk, but left hastily, under mysterious circumstances. Small traces of blood were found in the car and near the scene of the wreck, but there were no other signs of the missing Jacksons. Residents in the rural area reported seeing nothing unusual around the time of the accident.  
Ms. Jackson's husband, Gabe Ugliano, claims that his stepson, Percy Jackson, is a troubled child who has been kicked out of numerous boarding schools and has expressed violent tendencies in the past.**

"WHAT!" Everyone screamed. "WHAT THE HADES IS WRONG WITH THAT GUY!" Everyone yelled, and Hades was so mad at the mortal he didn't even tell everyone off for using his name in vain.

 **Police would not say whether son Percy is a suspect in his mother's disappearance, but they have not ruled out foul play. Below are recent pictures of Sally Jackson and Percy. Police urge anyone with information to call the following toll-free crime-stoppers hotline.  
The phone number was circled in black marker.**

"Who would do that?" Poseidon asked disgusted.

 **I wadded up the paper and threw it away, then flopped down in my bunk bed in the middle of my empty cabin.  
"Lights out," I told myself miserably.**

"Man that sucks." Frank said sincerely.

 **That night, I had my worst dream yet.**

All the demigods groaned.

 **I was running along the beach in a storm. This time, there was a city behind me. Not New York. The sprawl was different: buildings spread farther apart, palm trees and low hills in the distance.**

"Los Angeles?" Athena said confused.

 **About a hundred yards down the surf, two men were fighting. They looked like TV wrestlers, muscular, with beards and long hair. Both wore flowing Greek tunics, one trimmed in blue, the other in green.**

All the gods turned their attention to the two brother who were eyeing each other suspiciously.

 **They grappled with each other, wrestled, kicked and head-butted, and every time they connected, lightning flashed, the sky grew darker, and the wind rose.**

"You two are really fighting." Hephaestus grunted. "Yeah worse than normal." Demeter finished.

 **I had to stop them. I didn't know why. But the harder I ran, the more the wind blew me back, until I was running in place, my heels digging uselessly in the sand.  
Over the roar of the storm, I could hear the blue-robed one yelling at the green-robed one, Give it back! Give it back! **

"It?" The gods and Romans questioned alike. A few of the other gods started to have an idea on what it was. They looked at Athena silently asking the question. She gave them a quick nods saying _I'm thinking the same thing._ They all turned away from them grimacing.

 **Like a kindergartner fighting over a toy.  
The waves got bigger, crashing into the beach, spraying me with salt.**

 **I yelled, Stop it! Stop fighting!  
The ground shook. Laughter came from somewhere under the earth, and a voice so deep and evil it turned my blood to ice.**

Automatically everyone turned towards Hades. He looked confused though. "My voice is deep but not evil." Everyone brushed off the comment still thinking it was the dead lord.

 **Come down, little hero, the voice crooned. Come down!  
The sand split beneath me, opening up a crevice straight down to the center of the earth. My feet slipped, and darkness swallowed me.**

All the Romans were looking suspiciously at their God of the underworld.

 **I woke up, sure I was falling.**

"Aw I hate that feeling." Rachel complained while everyone else laughed and nodded in agreement.

 **I was still in bed in cabin three. My body told me it was morning, but it was dark outside, and thunder rolled across the hills. A storm was brewing. I hadn't dreamed that.  
I heard a clopping sound at the door, a hoof knocking on the threshold.  
"Come in?"  
Grover trotted inside, looking worried. **

"Probably not a good sign." Hermes stated.

 **"Mr. D wants to see you."**

"Not a good sign." Travis continued.

 **"Why?"  
"He wants to kill... I mean, I'd better let him tell you."**

 **"** Definitely not a good sign." Conner finished. "WILL YOU SHUT UP!" Everyone screamed at the trio.

 **Nervously, I got dressed and followed, sure that I was in huge trouble. For days, I'd been half expecting a summons to the Big House.**

"Why?" Asked Katie.

 **Now that I was declared a son of Poseidon, one of the Big Three gods who weren't supposed to have kids, I figured it was a crime for me just to be alive. The other gods had probably been debating the best way to punish me for existing, and now Mr. D was ready to deliver their verdict.**

"Oh..."

 **Over Long Island Sound, the sky looked like ink soup coming to a boil.**

"That's an... interesting way of describing it." Annabeth said looking at Percy, who winked at her and gave her a quick kiss.

 **A hazy curtain of rain was coming in our direction. I asked Grover if we needed an umbrella.  
"No," he said. "It never rains here unless we want it to."**

"Lucky!" All the Romans complained. "Hey you're in California it like never rains there anyways." Percy pointed out. "Touché." Was the only response.

 **I pointed at the storm. "What the heck is that, then?"  
He glanced uneasily at the sky. "It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does."  
I realized he was right. In the week I'd been here, it had never even been overcast. The few rain clouds I'd seen had skirted right around the edges of the valley.  
But this storm ... this one was huge.  
At the volleyball pit, the kids from Apollo's cabin were playing a morning game against the satyrs. Dionysus's twins were walking around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow. Everybody was going about their normal business, but they looked tense. They kept their eyes on the storm.**

"I remember that storm. Everyone at camp was freaked out." Jake said while everyone else there nodded.

 **Grover and I walked up to the front porch of the Big House. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on my first day. Chiron sat across the table in his fake wheelchair. They were playing against invisible opponents-two sets of cards hovering in the air.  
"Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up. "Our little celebrity."**

"It's not like I had a choice." Percy grumbled to himself. Annabeth heard and smirked to herself.

 **I waited.  
"Come closer," Mr. D said. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle- Beard is your father."**

"Barnacle-Beard?" Poseidon asked amused while Dionysus just snored.

 **A net of lightning flashed across the clouds. Thunder shook the windows of the house.  
"Blah, blah, blah," Dionysus said.  
Chiron feigned interest in his pinochle cards. Grover cowered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth.  
"If I had my way," Dionysus said, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. **

Poseidon and everyone's once amused expression turned into a murderous glare.

 **But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."  
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in.  
"Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."**

Once hearing the word dolphin the seven burst out laughing. Laughing so hard they all fell out of the cars they were all sitting in. Everyone looked confused at each other then down to the laughing demigods. All of a sudden Percy screamed out, "OH, NO! FRANK IS TURNING INTO A CRAZY DOLPHIN!" This made the seven laugh even harder. Finally after ten minutes of straight laughing did they manage to calm down.

"What was that about?" Grover asked curiously. Percy laughed again before answering, "Well on our last quest we were attacked by Chrysaor and his half dolphin crew, so Percy came up with a brilliant plan-" "a stupid plan." Percy corrected. Annabeth glared before continuing on. "Sorry a stupid plan where he grabbed a Diet Coke and pretended Dionysus was with us." "And too top it all off I turned into a dolphin." "Yeah after that they ran for the hills." Leo finished for Frank.

After their explanation everyone cracked up again. Finally after another twenty minutes of laughing, finding out Frank is a shapeshifter, and calming down Jason cleared his throat and continued reading.

 **"Mr. D-" Chiron warned.  
"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."**

"Why is he so mad?" Asked Reyna. When she got no answer she sighed in defeat and motioned for Jason to continue reading.

 **Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. A credit card? No. A security pass.  
He snapped his fingers.  
The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a hologram, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.  
Chiron smiled at me, but he looked tired and strained. "Sit, Percy, please. And Grover."  
We did.  
Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use.**

"As usual." The wine God grumbled in his sleep.

 **"Tell me, Percy," he said. "What did you make of the hellhound?"  
Just hearing the name made me shudder.  
Chiron probably wanted me to say, Heck, it was nothing. I eat hellhounds for breakfast. **

**But I didn't feel like lying.  
"It scared me," I said. "If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead."**

Chiron smiled at Percy, "I was pleased that you told the truth."

 **"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done."  
"Done ... with what?"**

"Is he getting..." Apollo asked trailing off at the end.

 **"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?"**

"Um yeah I was." Percy laughed. Apollo and the other gods looked shocked. "But usually it takes years before you can even be considered so why after a week?" Hephaestus questioned.

 **I glanced at Grover, who was crossing his fingers.**

"Eager much?" Annabeth asked amused.

 **"Um, sir," I said, "you haven't told me what it is yet."  
Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."  
Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as I could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.  
"Poseidon and Zeus," I said. "They're fighting over something valuable ... something that was stolen, aren't they?"**

The two gods looked at each skeptically.

 **Chiron and Grover exchanged looks.  
Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"  
My face felt hot. I wished I hadn't opened my big mouth. "The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And ... I've also been having these dreams."  
"I knew it," Grover said.  
"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.**

 **"But it is his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"**

"What quest!" Everyone asked exasperated.

 **"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt."**

"MY LIGHTNING BOLT WAS STOLEN!" Screeched Zeus. He started glaring at Poseidon. Athena and all the other gods that figured it out looked like their worst fears were confirmed. The gods and demigods that didn't figure it out were shocked and scared of what Zeus might do.

 **I laughed nervously. "A what?"  
"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."  
"Oh."  
"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheared the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."**

Zeus was holding on to his bolt like it was his lifeline.

 **"And it's missing?"  
"Stolen," Chiron said.  
"By who?"  
"By whom," Chiron corrected. Once a teacher, always a teacher. "By you."**

"WHAT! YOU STUPID LITTLE MORTAL!" Zeus thundered. He started to aim his bolt at Percy when all his friends and a few gods jumped in front of his, surprisingly enough so did Athena.

"Lord Zeus, father, think this through, the book is the boy's perspective of he stole it then we would know." Zeus didn't calm down but he did stop pointing his bolt at Percy. The king of the gods then turned his attention to Poseidon. "Poseidon I swear if you don't return it by the end of the book I will kill your son and start a war against you." After he said his piece he sat back down, and both him and 'Derp'ules shoot glares at Poseidon and Percy while Zeus still held his master bolt tightly.

Poseidon rolled his eyes but sat down anyways. Once everyone settled again, and Percy was slapped out of shock from Athena protecting him, Jason continued.

 **My mouth fell open. "At least"-Chiron held up a hand-"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly-that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."**

"Makes sense." Zeus grumbled angrily. Poseidon heard and glared at his brother.

 **"But I didn't-"  
"Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. **

"I knew you were going to do this!" Zeus screamed standing up. "I don't want this brother! After the first time I realized you are a much better leader than I will ever be!" "But-" "Brothers please stop fighting we will figure every once we have read the book." Hestia said soothingly making everyone jump, not realizing she was by the hearth. Zeus and Poseidon softened their glares slightly at their older sister before they sat back down and Jason continued.

 **The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."**

"Traitor!" Hercules growled quietly but all the demigods heard. "Shut it, Percy's is too loyal, he would never become a traitor!" Spat Travis, for once completely serious.

 **"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"**

Zeus mood was now even worse.

 **Chiron and Grover glanced nervously at the sky. The clouds didn't seem to be parting around us, as Grover had promised. They were rolling straight over our valley, sealing us in like a coffin lid.  
"Er, Percy ...?" Grover said. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."  
"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam..." He looked at me as if he actually expected me to remember question thirty-eight.**

"I can't even remember what I had for dinner, how could he remember a question from a final?" Frank asked. A few people laughed

 **How could anyone accuse me of stealing a god's weapon? I couldn't even steal a slice of pizza from Gabe's poker party without getting busted. Chiron was waiting for an answer. "Something about a golden net?" I guessed. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods ... they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"  
"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along-the proverbial last straw."  
"But I'm just a kid!"  
"Percy," Grover cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"**

"That would put a twist in mine." Apollo joked trying to loosen the tension in the air. Almost everyone laughed relieved to have something to do even though it wasn't very funny.

 **"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon-my dad-he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"  
Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. **

"Thank you." Poseidon said nodding his head towards his half-brother.

 **But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?"**

 **"Bad?" I guessed.**

"Bad." Demeter said.

 **"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight." "Bad," I repeated.**

All the gods nodded their head with wide eyes.

 **"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."  
It started to rain. Volleyball players stopped their game and stared in stunned silence at the sky.**

"I remember that day, it never rained so it was unusual." Will said.

 **I had brought this storm to Half-Blood Hill. Zeus was punishing the whole camp because of me. I was furious.**

 **"So I have to find the stupid bolt," I said.**

Zeus's glare intensified at Percy, who didn't even flinched.

 **"And return it to Zeus."  
"What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"**

Athena nodded her head. "That would be the ideal offering."

 **"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?"  
"I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago ... well, some of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."  
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?"  
"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."**

Leo chuckled nervously, "That's a good reason."

 **I swallowed. "Good reason."**

Percy smirked at Leo while he pretended to faint from what his friends call 'Percytitis."

 **"You agree then?"**

 **I looked at Grover, who nodded encouragingly.  
Easy for him. I was the one Zeus wanted to kill.**

Everyone laughed. Some just amused while others a bit more nervous.

 **"All right," I said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."**

"Yeah," Piper snickered, "a crazy dolphin." The seven were about to full out laugh again when Thalia smacked her brother upside the head and shoved for him to continued.

 **"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."**

"He's not serious is he?" Questioned a Roman nervously. When he got no response he gulped and his ex-praetor to keep going.

 **Four flights up, the stairs ended under a green trap-door.  
I pulled the cord. The door swung down, and a wooden ladder clattered into place.  
The warm air from above smelled like mildew and rotten wood and something else ... a smell I remembered from biology class. Reptiles. The smell of snakes.  
I held my breath and climbed.  
The attic was filled with Greek hero junk: armor stands covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE, and LAND OF THE AMAZONS. **

Reyna looked up hearing her former home.

 **One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things-severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, various other parts of monsters. A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.**

"Oh hey I remember that one. One of my daughters killed it." Demeter said proudly.

 **By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.**

Everyone shivered at the description. Jason leaned forwards and whispered for the campers to hear, "I think I like Rachel better. And also how did it move in the window? It's dead." "First off thank you I like myself better too, and second just read and find out."

 **Looking at her sent chills up my back. And that was before she sat up on her stool and opened her mouth. A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. I stumbled over myself trying to get to the trap-door, but it slammed shut. Inside my head, I heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around my brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask.  
I wanted to say, No thanks, wrong door, just looking for the bathroom. **

Everyone chuckled nervously while a young Roman girl piped up, "I know this is probably sad but I think I prefer the mummy over Octavian." Octavian looked at the girl so murderous until all the Romans, and most Greeks started laughing their butts off all agreeing. Octavian then took his focus off the girl and on to the one he hated most, Percy. Percy saw the augurs look and laughed even harder. Once everyone calmed down again they continued on.

 **But I forced myself to take a deep breath.  
The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of grue-some receptacle for something else, the power that was now swirling around me in the green mist. But its presence didn't feel evil, like my demonic math teacher Mrs. Dodds or the Minotaur. It felt more like the Three Fates I'd seen knitting the yarn outside the highway fruit stand: ancient, powerful, and definitely not human. But not particularly interested in killing me, either.  
I got up the courage to ask, "What is my destiny?"  
The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of me and around the table with the pickled monster-part jars. Suddenly there were four men sitting around the table, playing cards. Their faces became clearer. It was Smelly Gabe and his buddies.**

Annabeth, Thalia, Nico, and Grover glared deeply at the book.

 **My fists clenched, though I knew this poker party couldn't be real. It was an illusion, made out of mist.  
Gabe turned toward me and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.  
His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice: You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned. **

"Oh thank goodness!" Zeus practically screamed of happiness while all the other gods looked relieved.

 **The guy on the left threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall he betrayed by one who calls you a friend.**

 **Finally, Eddie, our building super, delivered the worst line of all: And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.**

Zeus happy dance stopped abruptly. He once again looked pissed off and grumby. Annabeth leaned closer to Percy, "That was the end of your prophecy? And ... Luke's the friend?" "Yeah…" Percy then grabbed Annabeth so instead of sitting next to him she was sitting on his lap. He kissed her temple and comforted her when he heard her tremble saying Luke.

"That doesn't sound like a good prochey." Leo stated with everyone bidding their heads.

 **The figures began to dissolve. At first I was too stunned to say anything, but as the mist retreated, coiling into a huge green serpent and slithering back into the mouth of the mummy, I cried, "Wait! What do you mean? What friend? What will I fail to save?"**

Apollo looked at Percy apoligitly. "Sorry man, one question per quest."

 **The tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth. She reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of mementos.  
I got the feeling that I could stand here until I had cob-webs, too, and I wouldn't learn anything else.**

"And you would be right." "Hey Chris? Shut up please I know that _now_." "Whatever Perce." Chris laughed.

 **My audience with the Oracle was over.  
"Well?" Chiron asked me.  
I slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen."  
Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"  
"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "This is important."  
My ears were still tingling from the reptilian voice. "She . .. she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."**

 **"I knew it," Grover said.  
Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?"  
I didn't want to tell him.  
What friend would betray me? I didn't have that many.**

"That's a sad thought." Hermes said with a sad look on his face. "Yeah Percy when you came to camp you had tons of friends." Conner said trying to cheer him up. "Yeah and who are they?" "Um... You know they must have escaped my mind I'll get back to you later." Percy was just watching the younger Stoll sweat with an amused look.

 **And the last line-I would fail to save what mattered most. What kind of Oracle would send me on a quest and tell me, Oh, by the way, you'll fail.**

 **How could I confess that?  
"No," I said. "That's about it."  
He studied my face. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."**

"Yep definitely found that out." Percy muttered to Annabeth. She nodded her head and cuddled closer to Percy.

 **I got the feeling he knew I was holding back something bad, and he was trying to make me feel better.**

"Oh I was."

 **"Okay," I said, anxious to change topics. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?"  
"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"  
"Somebody else who wants to take over?" I guessed.**

 **"Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."  
I thought about my dreams, the evil voice that had spoken from under the ground. "Hades."**

"Really?" Hades asked more annoyed than mad. "Whenever something go wrong on Olympus it alway my fault. And also I don't want anymore dead, as it is in already overfull. I think I might have to open up an fast death lane soon." He finished grumbling to himself more than anyone.

 **Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."  
A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"  
"A Fury came after Percy," Chiron reminded him. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."**

"Okay maybe you have but of a reason, but this still isn't me." "It may not be but let's hope it is." Athena said darkly already figuring out who might be behind the whole operation. "What do you-" "We'll have to find out." Athena briskly cut off the lord of the dead before Jason continued.

 **"Yes, but-but Hades hates all heroes," Grover pro-tested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a son of Poseidon... ."  
"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest."  
"Great," I muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."**

"And many more to come." Thalia teased.

 **"But a quest to ..." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."**

"Oh Hades no. I hate Maine." Nico said stubbornly. While everyone else sent him questioned looks Annabeth, Thalia, Grover, and Percy all nodded their heads in agreement.

 **"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."  
A strange fire burned in my stomach. The weirdest thing was: **

"Fear?" Leo guessed.

 **it wasn't fear. It was anticipation.**

"Just kidding I meant to say anticipation." "Anticipation?" Theseus asked.

 **The desire for revenge. Hades had tried to kill me three times so far, with the Fury, the Minotaur, and the hellhound. It was his fault my mother had disappeared in a flash of light. Now he was trying to frame me and my dad for a theft we hadn't committed.**

"Oh..."

 **I was ready to take him on.  
Besides, if my mother was in the Underworld ...  
Whoa, boy, said the small part of my brain that was still sane. You're a kid. Hades is a god.**

"Dang right I am."

 **Grover was trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips.  
The poor guy needed to complete a quest with me so he could get his searcher's license, whatever that was, but how could I ask him to do this quest, especially when the Oracle said I was destined to fail? This was suicide.  
"Look, if we know it's Hades," I told Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."  
"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades- and I imagine Poseidon does-they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"**

"So we're being used?"

 **"You're saying I'm being used."**

"Oh no Connor you've comedown with Percytitis!" Travis exclaimed in fake horror. Katie snickered at Travis's antics before quickly realizing he's _Travis_. After that she turned away blushing while the rest of Camp Half-Blood sent them questioning glances. The gods looked confused at the scene in front of them until Connor explained what 'Percytitis' is. All the gods nodded their heads showing they understand while Aphrodite couldn't keep her eyes off the Demeter girl and Hermes boy.

 **"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."  
My dad needs me.  
Emotions rolled around inside me like bits of glass in a kaleidoscope. **

"You have a really weird way of describing things." Reyna once again said. "You already said that." Percy pointed out. "Ya, but I mean a _really_ weird way of describing things." "That's seaweed brain for you." "Thanks wise girl." Percy said sarcastically while Annabeth just flashed him a innocent smile which he rolled his eyes and gave her a kiss before turning back to the story.

 **I didn't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry. Poseidon had ignored me for twelve years. Now suddenly he needed me.**

Said God looked down in shame. "Don't worry dad I know you couldn't do anything different because of drama queen's rule." Everyone howled with laughter while Zeus and Hercules glared at Percy once again.

 **I looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"  
"I had my suspicions. As I said ... I've spoken to the Oracle, too."  
I got the feeling there was a lot he wasn't telling me about his prophecy, but I decided I couldn't worry about that right now. After all, I was holding back information too.  
"So let me get this straight," I said. "I'm supposed go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."  
"Check," Chiron said.  
"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."  
"Check."**

 **"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."  
"That's about right."**

"You're dead." "Thanks for the confidence Hermes." "No problem kiddo."

 **I looked at Grover, who gulped down the ace of hearts.  
"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" he asked weakly.  
"You don't have to go," I told him. "I can't ask that of you.  
"Oh ..." He shifted his hooves. "No ... it's just that satyrs and underground places ... well..."  
He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If ... if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."  
I felt so relieved I wanted to cry, though I didn't think that would be very heroic. **

"Not at all." "Shut up Octavian, nobody cares about your opinion." Everyone coursed.

 **Grover was the only friend I'd ever had for longer than a few months. I wasn't sure what good a satyr could do against the forces of the dead, but I felt better knowing he'd be with me.**

Grover smiled at his best friend, who returned the gesture, every through everyone could barely see through Annabeth's hair.

 **"All the way, G-man." I turned to Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."  
"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."  
"Where?"**

 **Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."  
"Oh," I said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane-"  
"No!" Grover shrieked. **

"Why?" Asked a confused young Greek.

 **"Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?"  
I shook my head, feeling embarrassed. My mom had never taken me anywhere by plane. She'd always said we didn't have the money. Besides, her parents had died in a plane crash.  
"Percy, think," Chiron said. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."**

"Oh." "Yeah I would rather not die to go on an unreliable thing that Zeus has complete control over." Zeus smirked while everyone else just sent him annoyed looks.

 **Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed.  
"Okay," I said, determined not to look at the storm. "So, I'll travel overland."  
"That's right," Chiron said. "Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help."  
"Gee," I said, feigning surprise. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?"**

"Yes who would?" Athena questioned.

 **The air shimmered behind Chiron.  
Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket.**

"Absolutely not." "Mothers it's already happened and you have no control over what I do." Annabeth said angrily. Anyone smart, Athena included, decided not speak in case they set Annabeth off even more.

 **"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."  
"If you do say so yourself," I said. "I suppose you have a plan, wise girl?"  
Her cheeks colored. "Do you want my help or not?"  
The truth was, I did. I needed all the help I could get.**

"Oh good. I thought you hated me and didn't want me to go with you but just put up with me for the trio sake." Annabeth whispered while blushed into Percy's ear. Percy grinned and whispered back, "I always liked you wise girl, and no I was so happy that you can with me, and let's face it I would be dead without you on several occasions." Once Percy was done the pair finally realized that everyone was looking at them. They both blushed and Jason smirked before continuing on.

 **"A trio," I said. "That'll work."  
"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."  
Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.  
"No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."**

"That's the end." Jason said closing the book. "Good I want everyone out now! Gods we are having a quick meeting, everyone else go have dinner, we will meet up again tomorrow morning." After Zeus speech everyone quickly left the room and ran away from the door glad to have a few hours of freedom. However Octavian and Hercules stayed behind in order to hear what Zeus was saying.

Back in the room. All the gods were sitting in their seats when Zeus began, "I need to talk to you all about the sea son and the actions we should take against him."

* * *

 **Okay I have a few things regarding the next chapter. First off just so you know it's not a chapter from the books. (Sorry, NOT!) Secondly I am going to black Friday next week so I wouldn't be able to update until at least Saturday night. Which brings me to my last ... thing... If I can get a hundred rieviews then I will update on Wednesday. So please review and I will update!**

 **P.S ValkyrieBaymax I hope you notice the Easter egg! ;)**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	12. Second Night

**So happy for over 100 reviews! As promised a new chapter! Warning the chapter is rated T because our favourite couple has some much needed make out time. So anyways enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer~ (I am really hating this.) I am not Rick.**

* * *

"What do you mean by actions we should take against him?" Poseidon eyes flashed dangerously. "What I'm saying it the mortals too powerful. He has both camps behind him and almost as much powers as we do, and we're gods. He's going to turn everyone against us and then take over ruling." Zeus finished.

"I may not like heroes but for what I've observed about Percy he would never do that." Hades spoke up. "But that's where you wrong!" Zeus screamed, "He is manipulating us. We need to eliminate him before he turns against us!" Poseidon, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hades and Hephaestus all jumped up.

"YOU WILL NOT LAY A HAND ON MY SON!" "Yeah at least not until I see some Percabeth babies!" Athena turned and glared at the love goddess.

"I agree with Zeus. The boy is very dangerous and is leading my daughter down the wrong path, but if you kill him then the camps would turn against us anyways."

"If you lay one hand on the boy I will start a war with you and I'm pretty sure I'll get more support from the fellow Olympians than you will. And Athena I get you hate my son but just know if you hurt Percy you hurt your daughter." At that Poseidon and the rest of the gods that supported Percy stormed out leaving Zeus, Hera, Athena, Ares, Dionysus and Hestia.

"Brother I get that you dislike Percy, but don't let that cloud your judgment like it is right now. Remember everything, including power, bows down to emotion." At that Hestia disappeared back into her hearth. The king of gods was absolutely fuming so he quickly snapped at the other gods to leave. Finally when he thought he would get some alone time the door opened again.

Zeus got his bolt ready only to put it back down when he realized or was his favourite son and and scrawny pale one. "Hercules what do you want? I told everyone to leave."

"I'm sorry father it just that me and Octavian couldn't help but hear that you wanted to eliminate Percy Jackson. I know you may be mad at me but I have an idea that might work better than killing him" Zeus was too excited he didn't even tell the pair off for disobeying his orders.

"So what the plan?" Zeus asked eagerly.

* * *

"What do think that was about?"

All the veteran demigod, Grover and Juniper were all walking away from the throne room when Travis spook up.

"I don't know. The Fates said no killing or maiming so he can't hurt me, right?" Annabeth sighed and grabbed Percy's hand while resting her head in his shoulder. "I hope so, but unless the Fates but up an enchantment of the sorts we should be cautious."

"Don't worry Perce, at the end of the book I think Zeus will be fine." Chris said. "Yeah I think he would be fine with you, Prissy, but what about when he finds out who is actually did it?" Nobody answered Clarisse because she brought up a great point.

"Hey Perce, what's wrong? Something is bugging you." Grover looked at Percy while speaking. Percy on the other hand was looking off to who knows where.

When he didn't react right away Juniper clapped her hands in front of his face quickly bring him back to reality. "Huh? Sorry what did you say?" "Grover said somethings bugging you, you okay?" Nico asked concerned.

"Oh it nothing… just something I noticed Hercules doing while we were reading." "What was he doing?" Thalia asked curiously while everyone else stopped to hear better.

Percy stopped to and looked at Annabeth. "It was about you." "What was about me?" He shrugged, "Just the way he was looking at you, like you were some sort of prize or something. I don't know but I'm almost positive I saw longing in his face when we were reading about capture the flag."

"Now that you mention it I saw that look too." Jake piped up. Annabeth's eyes instantly turned stormy. "Well if he looks at me like that one more time tell me so I can go slap the creep." "Preach!" Rachel said while lifting her hands to the heavens. She got a few laughs before Annabeth continued again, "Tell me about it. I mean what a pig! I'm not some sort of prize, I'm a living person. And I have a feeling I know what he's looking at me like that."

"Why?" Everyone asked at the same time.

"Well," Percy said for Annabeth. One look in each other's eye and they knew they both thought the same thing. "if Hercules and Octavian hate me so much but can't kill me what the next easiest way to break me?"

"Annabeth." Everyone said instantly. Then their eyes widened and the mouths formed and 'O' shape.

"You think Hercules is going to try and get Annabeth in order to get Percy?" Katie questioned. Annabeth and Percy looked at each other before nodding.

"Well, we'll have to be on full alert. Hey Travis we should come up with a prank for them. Oh and let's make a deal, if we see Hercules or Octavian staring at Annie weirdly then we stand up and scream CODE ATTACK! And then we beat the living shit of him." Connor finished rubbing his arm from when Annabeth punch him for calling her Annie. Everyone nodded their head in agreement.

"Hey let's grab a bit to eat and then we should all hang out and catch up. But just us, otherwise it would be too big of a group." He got a bunch of okays before they broke off to go eat.

Percy and Annabeth walked hand in hand into the dinner room. A few others were there, luckily Hercules and Octavian were not one of the few. They both got their food and sat down next to each other.

Dinner passed uneventful and Percy and Annabeth left everyone and walking into Annabeth's room and waited for everyone to show up in about half and hour.

"You know I would never leave you for that stuck up jerk right." Annabeth said out of the blue. "No I know that." He said kissing her softly. "It just what's he going to do or say that I'm nervous about." Annabeth looked at him again and saw pure love shining through his eyes.

"Don't worry if he says anything I wouldn't listen, and if he tries anything I'll punch him and then let you do the honours of beating him up." Percy laughed and kissed Annabeth again, though this time wasn't so softly, it was much more passionate and fierce.

Soon they were full on making out. Their lips moved in sync and Annabeth hands moved Percy's shirt up while Percy's hands moved down Annabeth's hair. Soon they made it onto Annabeth bed. Annabeth was lying down with Percy hovering on top of her peppering her face and neck with kisses.

* * *

Somehow by the time everyone knock on Annabeth's door Annabeth managed to get four hickeys, Percy was shirtless, and they both had swollen lips.

The campers outside her room were growing restless. They knocked on Annabeth's door a number of minutes ago but still go no response. Unless you count some groans and mumbles. Finally the door opened exposing a flustered Percy and Annabeth. The group immediately noticed how both of them had swollen lips, messed up hair, Annabeth had four hickeys, and Percy's shirt was inside out. Instantly all thirteen campers in the doorway burst out laughing.

"Hey Annabeth," Thalia paused because she was laughing too hard, "what's that on your neck?"

Annabeth's eyes wide before she ran to her bathroom. While she was running Grover laughed, "Percy your shirts on inside out."

He blushed beet red before turning around and taking his shirt off. He quickly fixed his shirt when Annabeth screamed out, "PERSEUS FREAKIN JACKSON YOU GAVE ME FOUR HICKEYS! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Everyone was on the ground laughing with tears in their eyes. Annabeth stormed back in with her ponytail fixed showing four clear hickeys.

"Sorry Annabeth." Percy said sheepishly still bright red. "Whatever my mom is going to kill me!" Percy paled hearing that much to everyone's amusement.

After a while they calmed down. All fourteen of them chatted the entire night just enjoying each other company. Never once did they mention the wars, just camp memories and life in the mortal world. Finally after talking for a couple hours everyone went their depress ways.

Percy stayed behind again to sleep with Annabeth. And no, just to sleep beside and keep her company. They talked a bit by themselves before taking turns getting changed in the pyjamas Aphrodite laid in the bathroom.

Soon they were comfy in their pjs and snuggled together in bed when Percy kissed Annabeth's hair and muttered, "Love you wise girl." "Love you too seaweed brain." Before they both fell asleep.

* * *

They next morning everyone got changed into their new clothes, had breakfast, and meet in the throne room for some more reading.

Everyone got seated when to gods came in. Surprisingly Zeus did not seem as mad. Everyone shrugged it off already things he was off his rockers before Apollo volunteered to read. Everyone agreed and he picked up the book and read,

 **I ruin a perfectly good bus.**

* * *

 **Woot Woot Done! Just so you know next week I might not update around this time, I'll shoot for around Thursday. I want to quickly thank everyone for over 100 reviews and follows. You do not know how much this means to me, when I saw that I started dancing all around the room. And lastly I just want to say thank you to FelicityQueen23. You're comment literally made me cry. I thought the first few chapters sucked, but you made me feel so good about them so just thank you sooo much!**

 **Make sure to check out my tumblr! I just made my fanfiction blog so check it out and send me ideas for other stories. My name is bethbeth2000 so please go and follow me! Anyways,**

 _ **XOXOBeth2000**_


	13. I Ruin a Perfectly Good Bus

**So change of plans people. I really want to finish this story by the new year so whenever I am done a chapter I will post it right away. So now instead of one every Friday they will be posted all over the board... So enjoy! :)**

 **Disclaimer~ I am not a man, I am not 51, therefore I am not Rick Riordan.**

* * *

"That doesn't should good." Jason noted. Poseidon nodded his head and muttered, "No it does not."

 **It didn't take me long to pack. I decided to leave the Minotaur horn in my cabin, which left me only an extra change of clothes and a toothbrush to stuff in a backpack Grover had found for me.  
The camp store loaned me one hundred dollars in mortal money and twenty golden drachmas. **

"What are drachmas?" A Roman asked. "Greek currency." Everyone said in unison.

 **These coins were as big as Girl Scout cookies and had images of various Greek gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The ancient mortal drachmas had been silver, Chiron told us, but Olympians never used less than pure gold.**

All the Olympians nodded their head matter factly.

 **Chiron said the coins might come in handy for non-mortal transactions-whatever that meant. He gave Annabeth and me each a canteen of nectar and a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if we were seriously hurt. It was god food, Chiron reminded us. It would cure us of almost any injury, but it was lethal to mortals. Too much of it would make a half-blood very, very feverish. An overdose would burn us up, literally.  
Annabeth was bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she told me had been a twelfth-birthday present from her mom.**

"We don't get presents from their parents, you're so lucky Greeks." "Trust us were not."

 **She carried a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek, to read when she got bored, and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve. I was sure the knife would get us busted the first time we went through a metal detector.**

"Surprisingly not." Travis said. "And how would you know if you don't mind me asking?" "Oh it's… um, just a guess Chiron?" He said more of a question than an answer. Everyone laughed before Apollo continued on.

 **Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. His bright orange backpack was full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knew two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 12 and Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday," both of which sounded pretty bad on reed pipes.**

"Hey!" "Sorry G-Man it the truth."

 **We waved good-bye to the other campers, took one last look at the strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus.**

Thalia sighed, "I was such a famous tree." Everyone laughed at Thalia, who was also laughing at herself. Although Percy and Nico were by far the loudest. They quieted down for a second when Thalia shocked them but before laughing harder.

 **Chiron was waiting for us in his wheelchair. Next to him stood the surfer dude I'd seen when I was recovering in the sick room. According to Grover, the guy was the camp's head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised.**

Hera sighed thinking of Argus and how pleased she is on the way he turned out.

 **Today, though, he was wearing a chauffeur's uniform, so I could only see extra peepers on his hands, face and neck.  
"This is Argus," Chiron told me. "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."**

"Bad pun Chiron." Leo said. All the gods looked confused, "What's a pun?" Asked Hades. "A pun is… um… you know what you'll find out in the future."

 **I heard footsteps behind us.  
Luke came running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball shoes.  
"Hey!" he panted. "Glad I caught you."  
Annabeth blushed, the way she always did when Luke was around.**

Annabeth blushed again and everyone turned and looked at her. She gave everyone a scary glare and they all looked away. Percy laughed quietly and kissed her before Apollo started reading again.

 **"Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told me. "And I thought ... um, maybe you could use these."**

Hermes smile proudly not noticing all the Greeks grim expressions. Athena also looked pointedly at Annabeth with an expression that read _see this is a good boy not the sea spawn._ Annabeth saw and glared at her mom before turning away and completely ignoring her. Percy also saw the look and put an arm protectively around Annabeth.

 **He handed me the sneakers, which looked pretty normal. They even smelled kind of normal.**

"Why would you smell them?" Percy just shrugged in response to Hazel's question.

 **Luke said, "Maia!"  
White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling me so much, I dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up and disappeared.**

"Cool I want one!" Everyone yelled. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover all looked at each other.

 **"Awesome!" Grover said.  
Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days..." His expression turned sad.**

 **I didn't know what to say. It was cool enough that Luke had come to say good-bye. I'd been afraid he might resent me for getting so much attention the last few days. But here he was giving me a magic gift... It made me blush almost as much as Annabeth.**

"No wonder you hated Luke so much, you used to look up to him so much." Percy nodded to Annabeth and gave her a kiss on the head and she snuggled closer. Aphrodite saw the exchange and almost fainted at how cute they were.

 **"Hey, man," I said. "Thanks."  
"Listen, Percy ..." Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just ... kill some monsters for me, okay?"**

"Yeah a lot of hopes." Thalia growled quiet enough to not be heard by the gods, especially by Hermes. He looked so thrilled by his son they didn't want to burst his bubble.

 **We shook hands. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns, then gave a goodbye hug to Annabeth, who looked like she might pass out.  
After Luke was gone, I told her, "You're hyperventilating."**

Everyone snicker despite Annabeth glare. Which didn't look at scary the more red she got.

 **"Am not."  
"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?"  
"Oh ... why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?"**

"We all ask the same question." Now it was Percy's turn to blush.

 **She stomped down the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed, jingling his car keys.  
I picked up the flying shoes and had a sudden bad feeling. I looked at Chiron. "I won't be able to use these, will I?"  
He shook his head. "Luke meant well, Percy. But taking to the air ... that would not be wise for you."**

"Who would have thought Zeus ending up saving my life in a way." Percy pointed out it Annabeth and Grover. They laughed, "Ironic isn't it?" Grover said.

 **I nodded, disappointed, but then I got an idea. "Hey, Grover. You want a magic item?"  
His eyes lit up. "Me?"  
Pretty soon we'd laced the sneakers over his fake feet, and the world's first flying goat boy was ready for launch.**

Everyone giggled at Percy's way of describing it, even Grover.

 **"Maia!" he shouted.  
He got off the ground okay, but then fell over sideways so his backpack dragged through the grass. The winged shoes kept bucking up and down like tiny broncos.**

Everyone full on burst out laughing and Grover blushed deeply. Juniper giggles at her boyfriend and kissed his cheek.

 **"Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need practice!"  
"Aaaaa!" Grover went flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawn mower, heading toward the van.  
Before I could follow, Chiron caught my arm. "I should have trained you better, Percy," he said. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason-they all got more training."**

Hercules grinned smugly at Chiron. Chiron looked away thinking _where did I go wrong?_

 **"That's okay. I just wish-"  
I stopped myself because I was about to sound like a brat. I was wishing my dad had given me a cool magic item to help on the quest, something as good as Luke's flying shoes, or Annabeth's invisible cap.**

"That wouldn't sound like a brat you know." Katie said sincerely. Percy nodded but said, "Well it kind of does."

 **"What am I thinking?" Chiron cried. "I can't let you get away without this."**

 **He pulled a pen from his coat pocket and handed it to me. It was an ordinary disposable ballpoint, black ink, removable cap. Probably cost thirty cents.**

"What's a pen going to do?" Asked Achilles.

 **"Gee," I said. "Thanks."  
"Percy, that's a gift from your father. I've kept it for years, not knowing you were who I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You are the one."  
I remembered the field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, when I'd vaporized Mrs. Dodds. Chiron had thrown me a pen that turned into a sword. Could this be ... ?  
I took off the cap, and the pen grew longer and heavier in my hand. In half a second, I held a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a leather-wrapped grip, and a flat hilt riveted with gold studs. It was the first weapon that actually felt balanced in my hand.**

"Oh I see!"

 **"The sword has a long and tragic history that we need not go into," Chiron told me. "Its name is Anaklusmos."**

"You stole my sword!" Hercules screamed. Faster than he thought possible Percy had said sword up against his throat along with Artemis and Thalia's bow and arrow pointed him and Grover had a murderous look in his eyes.

"This is not your sword!" Percy spat his glare so intense everyone near him backed away, except Hercules who glared back. "This was Zoë Nightshades remember her? And if you ever say other word this sword will be the last thing you see." Everyone stood there shocked as Percy pushed Hercules and sat back down next to Annabeth, who kissed his and glared at Hercules. Thalia and Grover seemed satisfied with Percy's threat and sat back down.

Artemis stared in shock at Percy. "How do you know my huntress Zoë?" "It will explain in the books, if not I'll tell you." Artemis nodded and sat down still shocked. "What's wrong sis?" Apollo asked genuinely concerned. "Don't call me sis and it just that Zoë never a shares her story, especially to a... boy."

Everyone sat back down again, the Romans avoided Percy's glance, still scared. While the Greeks look at Percy with pride. Many campers smile at Percy for putting Hercules in his place will other clapped his back. The three other heroes and all the gods with smiling too. And they now knew why everyone was so scared of Percy's glare. The only ones not happy was Zeus, Octavian, and Hercules himself. They wanted to put their plan in motion fast so Percy would become derailed.

 **"'Riptide,'" I translated, surprised the Ancient Greek came so easily.  
"Use it only for emergencies," Chiron said, "and only against monsters. No hero should harm mortals unless absolutely necessary, of course, but this sword wouldn't harm them in any case."**

"Thank the gods." Rachel said while Percy blushed. "Why are you thanking us?" Aphrodite asked. "Genius over here ran riptide through me before." Everyone laughed while Chiron gave Percy a stern glare. "Sorry I was being chased by a monster and I made a mistake." Percy muttered blushing ferously.

 **I looked at the wickedly sharp blade. "What do you mean it wouldn't harm mortals? How could it not?"  
"The sword is celestial bronze. Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna, cooled in the River Lethe. **

Thalia, Nico, and Percy all shivered at the mention of the River Lethe, remembering their experience there.

 **It's deadly to monsters, to any creature from the Underworld, provided they don't kill you first. But the blade will pass through mortals like an illusion. They simply are not important enough for the blade to kill.**

"Wow thanks Chiron." Sarcasm dripping off Rachel's voice.

 **And I should warn you: as a demigod, you can be killed by either celestial or normal weapons. You are twice as vulnerable."**

 **"Good to know."  
"Now recap the pen."  
I touched the pen cap to the sword tip and instantly Riptide shrank to a ballpoint pen again. I tucked it in my pocket, a little nervous, because I was famous for losing pens at school.  
"You can't," Chiron said.  
"Can't what?"  
"Lose the pen," **

"Are you a mind reader?" "No Leo I am not a mind reader, but after thousands of years teaching demigods I learnt to read expressions." Leo thought for a moment before replying, "Nah I still think you're a mind reader." Everyone chuckled until a new camper brought up the question on everyone's mind. "Why can't he lose it?"

 **he said. "It is enchanted. It will always reappear in your pocket. Try it."**

"That's so cool I want one!" The same camper said in an excited tone. Percy pulled out the pen from his jean pocket and smirked in the Stoll's direction, "Nice try." The Stoll's then sat back down after unsuccessfully trying to pick pocket riptide.

 **I was wary, but I threw the pen as far as I could down the hill and watched it disappear in the grass.  
"It may take a few moments," Chiron told me. "Now check your pocket."  
Sure enough, the pen was there.  
"Okay, that's extremely cool," I admitted. "But what if a mortal sees me pulling out a sword?"  
Chiron smiled. "Mist is a powerful thing, Percy."  
"Mist?"**

 **"Yes. Read The Iliad. It's full of references to the stuff. Whenever divine or monstrous elements mix with the mor-tal world, they generate Mist, which obscures the vision of humans. You will see things just as they are, being a halfblood, but humans will interpret things quite differently. Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go to fit things into their version of reality."**

"Yeah they really are weird aren't they?" Hermes sighed. "Once again hey! I'm right here!"

 **I put Riptide back in my pocket.  
For the first time, the quest felt real. I was actually leaving Half-Blood Hill. I was heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cell phone. **

"What's a cell phone?" Asked Hephaestus. "Oh it's a mobile telephone, you know what a telephone is right?" Travis asked. Katie rolled her eyes, "It's 1989 not 1889 Travis." Said demigod blushed and muttered, "I was just checking."

 **(Chiron said cell phones were traceable by monsters; if we used one, it would be worse than sending up a flare.) I had no weapon stronger than a sword to fight off monsters and reach the Land of the Dead.**

"You're screwed." "Thanks for the confidence building superman."

 **"Chiron ..." I said. "When you say the gods are immortal... I mean, there was a time before them, right?"  
"Four ages before them, actually. The Time of the Titans was the Fourth Age, sometimes called the Golden Age, which is definitely a misnomer. This, the time of Western civilization and the rule of Zeus, is the Fifth Age."**

Zeus and the other gods smiled proudly.

 **"So what was it like ... before the gods?"**

"Not great that for sure." Apollo said interrupting himself.

 **Chiron pursed his lips. "Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals. Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge.**

"Still don't understand why it was called to golden age if there was no knowledge." A young Athenian girl said. Her mother and all her sibling nodded their heads in agreement. Everyone else rolled their eyes, _brainiacs_ they thought.

 **But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born."  
"But the gods can't die now, right? I mean, as long as Western civilization is alive, they're alive. So ... even if I failed, nothing could happen so bad it would mess up everything, right?"**

Everyone smiled sadly at Percy. "You actually did the exact opposite." Thalia said smiling. Everyone nodded their heads and Percy blushed from the attention.

 **Chiron gave me a melancholy smile. "No one knows how long the Age of the West will last, Percy. The gods are immortal, yes. But then, so were the Titans. They still exist, locked away in their various prisons, forced to endure endless pain and punishment, reduced in power, but still very much alive. May the Fates forbid that the gods should ever suffer such a doom, or that we should ever return to the darkness and chaos of the past. All we can do, child, is follow our destiny."  
"Our destiny ... assuming we know what that is."  
"Relax," Chiron told me. "Keep a clear head. And remember, you may be about to prevent the biggest war in human history."**

"Way to relax him Chiron."

 **"Relax," I said. "I'm very relaxed."  
When I got to the bottom of the hill, I looked back. Under the pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus, Chiron was now standing in full horseman form, holding his bow high in salute. Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur.**

"Man I love your sarcasm." "Thanks Frank, I love it too." Everyone rolled their eyes at Percy.

 **Argus drove us out of the countryside and into western Long Island. It felt weird to be on a highway again, Annabeth and Grover sitting next to me as if we were normal carpoolers. After two weeks at Half-Blood Hill, the real world seemed like a fantasy. I found myself staring at every McDonald's, every kid in the back of his parents' car, every billboard and shopping mall.**

"Imagine five years of barely seeing it." "Man wise girl, I don't understand how you survive."

 **"So far so good," I told Annabeth. "Ten miles and not a single monster."**

Everyone rolled their eyes. "You so just jinxed it." Nico said shaking his head. Percy just shrugged.

 **She gave me an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."**

Aphrodite squealed so loudly everyone clamped their hands over their ear in fear of damage. "You too are so cute I can't help it! Wise girl and seaweed brain! OH MY SELF I'M DYING!" Everyone laughed at Aphrodite, who was now hyperventilating. Piper looked slightly ashamed but was laughing her head off. Percy and Annabeth laughed even though they were blushing.

 **"Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?"  
"I don't hate you."  
"Could've fooled me."  
She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look ... we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."**

Athena glared at Poseidon, who glared right back. Percy and Annabeth tried to glare at each other in mock of their parents but everyone, not including their parents, burst out laughing.

 **"Why?"  
She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift**.

"Stupid?" Poseidon asked madly. "Hey dad don't be mad at Annabeth, it was kind of stupid. I mean it was salt water. Fresh water would have been awesome though."

 **My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."  
"They must really like olives."  
"Oh, forget it."  
"Now, if she'd invented pizza-that I could understand**."

"Classic Percy." Frank joked. Everyone laughed and Poseidon looked thoughtfully then said, "I wish I did create pizza, you're right it's better than both of our gifts." Athena the father and son and glared as if her life depended on it.  
 **  
"I said, forget it!"  
In the front seat, Argus smiled. He didn't say anything, but one blue eye on the back of his neck winked at me.**

"Cause that's not creepy." Leo said.  
 **  
Traffic slowed us down in Queens. By the time we got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain.  
Argus dropped us at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from my mom and Gabe's apartment. Taped to a mailbox was a soggy flyer with my picture on it: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?  
I ripped it down before Annabeth and Grover could notice.**

"Did you notice?" Asked Percy curiously. They both nodded their heads sheepishly, Percy just nodded his head like he expected this.

 **Argus unloaded our bags, made sure we got our bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulled out of the parking lot.  
I thought about how close I was to my old apartment. On a normal day, my mom would be home from the candy store by now. Smelly Gabe was probably up there right now, playing poker, not even missing her.**

The ones close to Sally growled hearing that.

 **Grover shouldered his backpack. He gazed down the street in the direction I was looking. "You want to know why she married him, Percy?"  
I stared at him. "Were you reading my mind or something?"  
"Just your emotions." He shrugged. "Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?"**

"Yeah why did she?" Hazel wondered out loud.

 **I nodded, wondering what else Grover might've forgotten to tell me.  
"Your mom married Gabe for you," Grover told me. "You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. The guy has this aura... Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him on you, and you haven't been near him for a week."**

"Yuck!" All the Aphrodite girls complained.

 **"Thanks," I said. "Where's the nearest shower?"  
"You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. **

"That ... IS SO SMART!" Leo screamed.

 **Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy-if that makes you feel any better."**

"Now thinking about that, it was to wrong thing to say." Grover said. "Why?" Hera asked. "Percy would feel like it fault. That _he_ made his mom marry that... thing." Percy nodded his head in agreement to Grover.

 **It didn't, but I forced myself not to show it. I'll see her again, I thought. She isn't gone.  
I wondered if Grover could still read my emotions, mixed up as they were. **

"They were almost impossible to read because they were so messed up."

 **I was glad he and Annabeth were with me, but I felt guilty that I hadn't been straight with them. I hadn't told them the real reason I'd said yes to this crazy quest.  
The truth was, I didn't care about retrieving Zeus's lightning bolt, **

"WHAT!" Zeus screamed.

 **or saving the world, or even helping my father out of trouble. The more I thought about it, I resented Poseidon for never visiting me, never helping my mom, never even sending a lousy child-support check.**

Poseidon looked down in shame, along with all the other gods and goddesses, except Zeus. As much as Zeus hated the rule he had to follow it and set an example.

 **He'd only claimed me because he needed a job done.  
All I cared about was my mom. Hades had taken her unfairly, and Hades was going to give her back.**

All the Romans, new Greeks, former heroes, and gods shot Percy sympathetic looks, as if to say _yeah sorry, not gonna happen._ Everyone who was around at the time looked down to hide their grins.

 **You will be betrayed by one who calls you a friend, the Oracle whispered in my mind. You will fail to save what matters most in the end.  
Shut up, I told it.**

Everyone chuckled dryly.

 **The rain kept coming down.  
We got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack with one of Grover's apples. Annabeth was unbelievable. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever. I wasn't too bad myself.  
The game ended when I tossed the apple toward Grover and it got too close to his mouth. In one mega goat bite, our Hacky Sack disappeared-core, stem, and all.**

It was silent for a second before everyone burst out laughing. "Classic… Grover!" Thalia managed to get out before going into another fit of laughter.

 **Grover blushed.**

Like he was doing now.

 **He tried to apologize, but Annabeth and I were too busy cracking up.  
Finally the bus came. As we stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air like he smelled his favorite school cafeteria delicacy-enchiladas.**

Juniper giggled at her boyfriend, while shaking her head fondly.

 **"What is it?" I asked.  
"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."  
But I could tell it wasn't nothing. I started looking over my shoulder, too.  
I was relieved when we finally got on board and found seats together in the back of the bus. We stowed our back-packs. Annabeth kept slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh.  
As the last passengers got on, Annabeth clamped her hand onto my knee. **

"EEEKKKKK!" Everyone cover their ears from the scream, "PERCABETH'S FIRST TOUCH! I'M DYING RIGHT NOW!" Aphrodite promptly said before passing out in her seat. Hephaestus glanced at her for a moment concerned before saying, "We can continue on, she'll be out for at least another ten minutes."

 **"Percy."  
An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered, and my heart skipped a beat.  
It was Mrs. Dodds. **

Poseidon looked at his older brother with a look that said _Really?_

 **Older, more withered, but definitely the same evil face.  
I scrunched down in my seat.  
Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. **

"Really?" The sea God now said out loud. Hades looked over to his brother a shrugged. "YES SOME ACTION!" Ares screamed while everyone rolled their eyes.

 **Otherwise they looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds-same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers.**

"Triple demon grandmothers!" Travis whisper-shouted to Katie killing himself laughing. Katie rolled her eyes and pushed his head, which was now resting on her shoulder, off while blushing slightly.

 **They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.**

Will laughed nervously, "Well that's unfortunate."

 **The bus pulled out of the station, and we headed through the slick streets of Manhattan. "She didn't stay dead long," I said, trying to keep my voice from quivering. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."  
"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not."**

"No you are not." His friends said the same time Percy said, "No I am not."

 **"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"  
"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."  
"They don't open," Grover moaned.  
"A back exit?" she suggested.  
There wasn't one. **

"Oh dear!" Hazel squeaked out causing several people that laugh.

 **Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, we were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.  
"They won't attack us with witnesses around," I said. "Will they?"**

"Oh I don't think they mind." Hades said looking down ashamed.

 **"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminded me. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."  
"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"**

"That would be a funny sight to see." "Shut up repair boy."

 **She thought about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof ... ?"  
We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.  
Mrs. Dodds got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the restroom."  
"So do I," said the second sister.  
"So do I," said the third sister.**

"Oh that's not creepy." Thalia said sarcastically.

 **They all started coming down the aisle.  
"I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."  
"What?"  
"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."**

 **"But you guys-"  
"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."**

Grover nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah, you stink." "Wow thank you my wonderful best friend." Percy deadpanned while everyone else laughed.

 **"I can't just leave you."  
"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"  
My hands trembled. I felt like a coward, but I took the Yankees cap and put it on.  
When I looked down, my body wasn't there anymore.**

"That must have killed you." Nico said sadley. Percy just nodded his head.

 **I started creeping up the aisle. I managed to get up ten rows, then duck into an empty seat just as the Furies walked past.  
Mrs. Dodds stopped, sniffing, and looked straight at me. My heart was pounding.  
Apparently she didn't see anything. She and her sisters kept going.**

"Wow that actually worked?" Piper asked.

 **I was free. I made it to the front of the bus. We were almost through the Lincoln Tunnel now. I was about to press the emergency stop button when I heard hideous wailing from the back row.**

"I guess not."

 **The old ladies were not old ladies anymore. Their faces were still the same-I guess those couldn't get any uglier- but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bat's wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws. Their handbags had turned into fiery whips.**

Thalia shivered at the memories and Nico, seeing her, gave her a huge bear hug. She was shocked at first, knowing the son of Hades was not a touchy person, but hugged back almost immediately. Everyone around the pair smiled as Annabeth, Grover and Percy joined in the hug. Once everyone realized the five of them ain't letting soon Apollo continued.

 **The Furies surrounded Grover and Annabeth, lashing their whips, hissing: "Where is it? Where?"**

Athena titled her head to the side in confusion on the word 'it'.

 **The other people on the bus were screaming, cowering in their seats. They saw something, all right.  
"He's not here!" Annabeth yelled. "He's gone!"  
The Furies raised their whips.  
Annabeth drew her bronze knife. Grover grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it.**

Juniper looked over at her boyfriend proudly. There are two things in life he lets no one touch, his enchiladas and his tin cans.

 **What I did next was so impulsive and dangerous I should've been named ADHD poster child of the year.**

"Sorry to burst your bubble but I think that goes to Leo." Piper said while Leo and Jason nodded their heads wide eyed.

 **The bus driver was distracted, trying to see what was going on in his rearview mirror.  
Still invisible, I grabbed the wheel from him and jerked it to the left. Everybody howled as they were thrown to the right, and I heard what I hoped was the sound of three Furies smashing against the windows.**

"Or you know Leo's in second."

 **"Hey!" the driver yelled. "Hey-whoa!"  
We wrestled for the wheel. The bus slammed against the side of the tunnel, grinding metal, throwing sparks a mile behind us.**

"By a lot apparently." "Dang right Piper." Percy said sticking his head out of the dog pile. Piper did the mature thing and stuck her tongue out at Percy, who returned the gesture.

 **We careened out of the Lincoln Tunnel and back into the rainstorm, people and monsters tossed around the bus, cars plowed aside like bowling pins.  
Somehow the driver found an exit. We shot off the highway, through half a dozen traffic lights, and ended up barreling down one of those New Jersey rural roads where you can't believe there's so much nothing right across the river from New York. There were woods to our left, the Hudson River to our right, and the driver seemed to be veering toward the river.  
Another great idea:**

Everyone groaned. "What now?" Asked Perseus.

 **I hit the emergency brake.**

"That one wasn't actually too bad." Theseus pointed out to his cousin.

 **The bus wailed, spun a full circle on the wet asphalt, and crashed into the trees. The emergency lights came on. The door flew open. The bus driver was the first one out,**

"So heroic." Percy grumbled under his breath after the human/satyr hug group broke apart. "Tell me about it." Annabeth laughed while hopping onto his lap and snuggling into his chest.

 **the passengers yelling as they stampeded after him. I stepped into the driver's seat and let them pass.  
The Furies regained their balance. They lashed their whips at Annabeth while she waved her knife and yelled in Ancient Greek, telling them to back off. Grover threw tin cans.**

Everyone smiled even though the atmosphere was getting tense.

 **I looked at the open doorway. I was free to go, but I couldn't leave my friends. I took off the invisible cap. "Hey!"  
The Furies turned, baring their yellow fangs at me, and the exit suddenly seemed like an excellent idea. **

"Then go to it!" Poseidon mumbled to himself getting more and more worried.

 **Mrs. Dodds stalked up the aisle, just as she used to do in class, about to deliver my F- math test. Every time she flicked her whip, red flames danced along the barbed leather.**

 **Her two ugly sisters hopped on top of the seats on either side of her and crawled toward me like huge nasty lizards.**

Everyone shiver at the thought.

 **"Perseus Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said, in an accent that was definitely from somewhere farther south than Georgia. "You have offended the gods. You shall die."**

"Why does every monster say that to me?" Percy wondered out loud. "The you shall die part?" Demeter questioned. "Yeah and the you've offended the gods part too." All the demigods laugh while the gods didn't seem necessarily thrilled at the thought.

 **"I liked you better as a math teacher," I told her.  
She growled.  
Annabeth and Grover moved up behind the Furies cautiously, looking for an opening.  
I took the ballpoint pen out of my pocket and uncapped it. Riptide elongated into a shimmering double- edged sword.  
The Furies hesitated.**

"I would too." Jason said and everyone nodded in agreement.

 **Mrs. Dodds had felt Riptide's blade before. She obviously didn't like seeing it again.**

"She's still complaining about that." Nico whispered to the couple. They snicker quietly before regaining their composure.

 **"Submit now," she hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal torment."  
"Nice try," I told her.  
"Percy, look out!" Annabeth cried.  
Mrs. Dodds lashed her whip around my sword hand while the Furies on the either side lunged at me.**

Juniper and Hazel squeaked in fear together before clutching their boyfriends.

 **My hand felt like it was wrapped in molten lead, but I managed not to drop Riptide.**

Percy hissed in pain clutched his hand. Annabeth kissed his cheek, scared to see him in pain.

 **I stuck the Fury on the left with its hilt, sending her toppling backward into a seat. I turned and sliced the Fury on the right. As soon as the blade connected with her neck, she screamed and exploded into dust. Annabeth got Mrs. Dodds in a wrestler's hold and yanked her backward while Grover ripped the whip out of her hands.  
"Ow!" he yelled. "Ow! Hot! Hot!"  
The Fury I'd hilt-slammed came at me again, talons ready, but I swung Riptide and she broke open like a piñata.**

Everyone chuckled a bit nervously but was glad to see Percy painless again.

 **Mrs. Dodds was trying to get Annabeth off her back. She kicked, clawed, hissed and bit, but Annabeth held on while Grover got Mrs. Dodds's legs tied up in her own whip. Finally they both shoved her backward into the aisle. Mrs. Dodds tried to get up, but she didn't have room to flap her bat wings, so she kept falling down.  
"Zeus will destroy you!" she promised. **

"Yes I will!" Zeus muttered to himself, but Poseidon heard.

 **"Hades will have your soul!"**

"I pray not." Hades said after seeing the sea gods glare.

 **"Braccas meas vescimini!" I yelled.  
I wasn't sure where the Latin came from. I think it meant "Eat my pants!"**

Everyone looked at Percy, "You can speak Latin?" Achilles asked. Percy just nodded his head, half hidden behind Annabeth. "I learnt more in New Rome too."

 **Thunder shook the bus. The hair rose on the back of my neck.  
"Get out!" Annabeth yelled at me. "Now!" I didn't need any encouragement.  
We rushed outside and found the other passengers wandering around in a daze, arguing with the driver, or running around in circles yelling, "We're going to die!" A Hawaiian-shirted tourist with a camera snapped my photograph before I could recap my sword.**

"Oh no that's not going to look good." Rachel said.

 **"Our bags!" Grover realized. "We left our-"  
BOOOOOM!  
The windows of the bus exploded as the passengers ran for cover. Lightning shredded a huge crater in the roof, **

Everyone turned to Zeus with an eyebrow raised in a way that says _really?_

 **but an angry wail from inside told me Mrs. Dodds was not yet dead.  
"Run!" Annabeth said. "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"  
We plunged into the woods as the rain poured down, the bus in flames behind us, and nothing but darkness ahead**.

"Told you you jinxed it." Nico said. "I'll read next!" Thalia volunteered.

 **We Visit The Garden Gnome Emporium**

* * *

 **Done. Okay anyone else go black Friday shopping, cause I did. It was so amazing, I bought a jacket that was normally $250 for $50. Like DAMN! Anywasy I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review and check out my Tumblr blog bethbeth2000.**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	14. We Visit The Garden Gnome Emporium

**Disclaimer~ I do not own the Percy Jackson series.**

* * *

"That sounds ... interesting." Connor said. The trio laughed out, "Oh it definitely was." Percy answered. Before the start of the new chapter Annabeth quickly shifted so she was at Percy's side instead of his lap. Once Thalia saw she was ready she started.

 ** **In a way, it's nice to know there are Greek gods out there,****

"Aw thanks kid." Hermes said smiling.

 ** **because you have somebody to blame when things go wrong.****

All the gods looked slightly annoyed after hearing that. "Erm... sorry?" Percy quickly said seeing their expressions.

 ** **For instance, when you're walking away from a bus that's just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning, and it's raining on top of everything else, most people might think that's just really bad luck; when you're a half-blood, you understand that some divine force really is trying to mess up your day.****

Hermes shrugged his shoulders, "He has a point."

 ** **So there we were, Annabeth and Grover and I, walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City making the night sky yellow behind us, and the smell of the Hudson reeking in our noses.****

 ** **Grover was shivering and braying, his big goat eyes turned slit-pupiled and full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."****

"Man has he changed." Percy whispered into Annabeth's ear. Annabeth agree wholeheartedly. You couldn't even compare the small scrawny Grover to the Lord of the Wild.

 ** **I was pretty much in shock myself. The explosion of bus windows still rang in my ears. But Annabeth kept pulling us along, saying: "Come on! The farther away we get, the better."  
"All our money was back there," I reminded her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."****

"And you guys survived?" Katie questioned.

 ** **"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight-"  
"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?"  
"You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would've been fine."  
"Sliced like sandwich bread," Grover put in, "but fine."****

Everyone snicker while Annabeth blushed. She glared at everyone but only the ones that didn't know her flinched. Her close friends just thought she did not look scary sporting her blush.

 ** **"Shut up, goat boy," said Annabeth.  
Grover brayed mournfully. "Tin cans ... a perfectly good bag of tin cans."****

Now Grover was blushing deeply while everyone else laughed.

 ** **We sloshed across mushy ground, through nasty twisted trees that smelled like sour laundry.  
After a few minutes, Annabeth fell into line next to me. "Look, I..." Her voice faltered. "I appreciate your coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."  
"We're a team, right?"****

"Yeah and a kick ass team at that." Leo said smiling. "Oh definitely!" Everyone agreed.

 ** **She was silent for a few more steps. "It's just that if you died ... aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world."****

"Wow Annie so sympathetic." "Shut up Thalia!"

 ** **The thunderstorm had finally let up. The city glow faded behind us, leaving us in almost total darkness. I couldn't see anything of Annabeth except a glint of her blond hair.  
"You haven't left Camp Half-Blood since you were seven?" I asked her.  
"No ... only short field trips.****

"Wow that would suck." Synthesized a younger Roman **.**

 ** **My dad-"  
"The history professor."  
"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood is my home." She was rushing her words out now, as if she were afraid somebody might try to stop her. "At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not."  
If I didn't know better, I could've sworn I heard doubt in her voice.****

"Oh my gods seaweed brain stop being so observant!" Annabeth said while hiting her head into his shoulder. "Is the great Anna-" Connor was cut of by the pair of glares sent his way, mainly the sea green ones. He paled slightly before motioning for Thalia to continue.

 ** **"You're pretty good with that knife," I said.  
"You think so?"  
"Anybody who can piggyback-ride a Fury is okay by me."  
I couldn't really see, but I thought she might've smiled.****

"I did." Annabeth whispered into Percy's ear. He grinned widely and planted a kiss on her temple.

 ** **"You know," she said, "maybe I should tell you ... Something funny back on the bus ..."  
Whatever she wanted to say was interrupted by a shrill toot-toot-toot, like the sound of an owl being tortured.****

Everyone looked confused as to what made the sound.

 ** **"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried.****

Everyone burst out laughing while Grover blushed deeply. "Classic Grover!" Nico choked out before everyone calming down bought to continue reading.

 ** **"If I could just remember a 'find path' song, we could get out of these woods!"  
He puffed out a few notes, but the tune still sounded suspiciously like Hilary Duff.  
Instead of finding a path, I immediately slammed into a tree and got a nice-size knot on my head.****

Percy groaned and held his head. Everyone shot him worried looks but he just shook it off.

 ** **Add to the list of superpowers I did not have: infrared vision.  
After tripping and cursing and generally feeling miserable for another mile or so, I started to see light up ahead: the colors of a neon sign. I could smell food. Fried, greasy, excellent food. ****

Everyone groaned thinking about it.

 ** **I realized I hadn't eaten anything unhealthy since I'd arrived at Half-Blood Hill, where we lived on grapes, bread, cheese, and extra-lean-cut nymph-prepared barbecue. This boy needed a double cheeseburger.****

 **"** This girl needs one too!" Thalia interrupted herself.

 ** **We kept walking until I saw a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side was a closed- down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie, and one open business, which was the source of the neon light and the good smell.  
It wasn't a fast-food restaurant like I'd hoped. It was one of those weird roadside curio shops that sell lawn flamingos and wooden Indians and cement grizzly bears and stuff like that. The main building was a long, low warehouse, surrounded by acres of statuary. The neon sign above the gate was impossible for me to read, because if there's anything worse for my dyslexia than regular English, it's red cursive neon English.****

"Tell me about it." Katie complained. "Okay, well you see-" "I didn't mean literally Travis you idiot." "Maybe 'you idiot' can be our always!" "SHUT UP!" All the campers now had tears in their eyes from laughing while the gods were smiling.

Aphrodite on the other hand was squealing, "OH YOU TWO ARE SO CUTE! YOU ARE LIKE MY SECOND FAVOURITE COUPLE, after percabeth of course. And can I just ask what was with the 'okay' thing?" Hearing that Travis stopped laughed and both him and Katie blushed deeply. "I know right they are so cute! And the 'okay' thing is from the best love story! The Fault in Our Stars!" A little Aphrodite girl squealed. After everyone calmed down, and Katie and Travis stopped blushing so much Thalia continued.

 ** **To me, it looked like: ATNYU MES GDERAN GOMEN MEPROUIM.****

Everyone tilted their heads in confusion.

 ** **"What the heck does that say?" I asked.  
"I don't know," Annabeth said.  
She loved reading so much, I'd forgotten she was dyslexic, too.****

"Wait if all you brain kids have dyslexia, then how do you read so much?" Leo questioned. "We tend to read Greek, as it's much easier." Malcolm answered.

 ** **Grover translated: "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium."  
Flanking the entrance, as advertised, were two cement garden gnomes, ugly bearded little runts, smiling and waving, as if they were about to get their picture taken.****

"Wow, I never realized that." Grover whispered to Percy and Annabeth. "I didn't either because of the trance. Only Percy is because he is so damn observant." **"** Yeah I'm so _damn_ observant." Grover snicker quietly, "And I'm so damn-" "Shut up right now you two!" Annabeth said sternly, "Last time you did this you went on for hours." "Yes ma'am!" They both said in perfect sync before turning back to Thalia. Everyone shot the trio weird looks but they brushed it off and motion to continue.

 ** **I crossed the street, following the smell of the hamburgers.  
"Hey ..." Grover warned.  
"The lights are on inside," Annabeth said. "Maybe it's open."  
"Snack bar," I said wistfully.  
"Snack bar," she agreed.  
"Are you two crazy?" Grover said. "This place is weird."  
We ignored him.****

Everyone groaned. "Never ignore a satyr." Poseidon said sighing.

 ** **The front lot was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, even a cement satyr playing the pipes, which gave Grover the creeps.****

Perseus looked at Percy, Annabeth, and Grover with wide eyes. Upon seeing this Percy quickly put a finger to his lips in a ' _shh!'_ motion. Nobody else noticed as they were too wrapped up in the book. Athena on the other hand already figured it out and the interaction between the four confirmed the place. She just grimaced before returning her attention back to Thaila.

 ** **"Bla-ha-ha!" he bleated. "Looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!"  
We stopped at the warehouse door.  
"Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters."  
"Your nose is clogged up from the Furies," Annabeth told him. "All I smell is burgers. Aren't you hungry?"****

"The food but a trance on you didn't it?" Athena questioned. Annabeth and Percy just soundlessly nodded their heads. Everyone visibly paled and sat more on the edge of their seats.

 ** **"Meat!" he said scornfully. "I'm a vegetarian."  
"You eat cheese enchiladas and aluminum cans," I reminded him.  
"Those are vegetables. ****

"They are?" "Well they're not considered dairy are they?"

 ** **Come on. Let's leave. These statues are ... looking at me."  
Then the door creaked open, and standing in front of us was a tall Middle Eastern woman-at least, I assumed she was Middle Eastern, because she wore a long black gown that covered everything but her hands, and her head was completely veiled. Her eyes glinted behind a curtain of black gauze, but that was about all I could make out. Her coffee-colored hands looked old, but well-manicured and elegant, so I imagined she was a grandmother who had once been a beautiful lady.****

Poseidon paled even more and gripped his seat tight figuring out the monster.

 ** **Her accent sounded vaguely Middle Eastern, too. She said, "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"  
"They're ... um ..." Annabeth started to say.****

 ** **"We're orphans," I said.  
"Orphans?" the woman said. The word sounded alien in her mouth. "But, my dears! Surely not!"  
"We got separated from our caravan," I said. "Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. ****

****Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?"****

Everyone looked at Percy amused. "Eager much?" Demeter questioned while Nico asked, "Circus? Really?" Percy shrugged in response to both questions.

 ** **"Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."  
We thanked her and went inside.  
Annabeth muttered to me, "Circus caravan?"  
"Always have a strategy, right?"  
"Your head is full of kelp."****

"Yep!" All the older Greeks chorsed.

 ** **The warehouse was filled with more statues-people in all different poses, wearing all different outfits and with different expressions on their faces. I was thinking you'd have to have a pretty huge garden to fit even one of these statutes, because they were all life-size.****

Everyone started eyeing the book suspiciously, trying to figure out who the trio was facing.

 ** **But mostly, I was thinking about food.****

Everyone gave off a slightly nervous laugh while Jason smirked, "Of course you are."

 ** **Go ahead, call me an idiot for walking into a strange lady's shop like that just because I was hungry, but I do impulsive stuff sometimes. Plus, you've never smelled Aunty Em's burgers. The aroma was like laughing gas in the dentist's chair-it made everything else go away. I barely noticed Grover's nervous whimpers, or the way the statue's eyes seemed to follow me, or the fact that Aunty Em had locked the door behind us.****

"That would have been nice if you noticed earlier." "Sorry G-Man." Percy replied sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck.

 ** **All I cared about was finding the dining area. And sure enough, there it was at the back of the warehouse, a fast-food counter with a grill, a soda fountain, a pretzel heater, and a nacho cheese dispenser. Everything you could want, plus a few steel picnic tables out front.  
"Please, sit down," Aunty Em said.  
"Awesome," I said.  
"Um," Grover said reluctantly, "we don't have any money, ma'am."****

"Wow there goes your food." Rachel hit Connor on the back of the head for that comment. "It's a monster you moron, I think paying for food was the least of their worries." "I know but still."

 ** **Before I could jab him in the ribs, Aunty Em said, "No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans."  
"Thank you, ma'am," Annabeth said.  
Aunty Em stiffened, as if Annabeth had done something wrong, but then the old woman relaxed just as quickly, so I figured it must've been my imagination.  
"Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. "You have such beautiful gray eyes, child." ****

"She know Annabeth's name." Malcolm stated.

 ** **Only later did I wonder how she knew Annabeth's name, even though we had never introduced ourselves.****

"Hey look I'm keeping up with the brainiacs!" Percy said proudly. Annabeth snorted beside him, "Don't get used to it." Percy stuck his tongue out at her in response.

 ** **Our hostess disappeared behind the snack counter and started cooking. Before we knew it, she'd brought us plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes, and XXL servings of French fries.  
I was halfway through my burger before I remembered to breathe.****

 ** **Annabeth slurped her shake.  
Grover picked at the fries, and eyed the tray's waxed paper liner as if he might go for that, but he still looked too nervous to eat.****

 ** **"What's that hissing noise?" he asked.  
I listened, but didn't hear anything. Annabeth shook her head.  
"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover."  
"I take vitamins. For my ears."****

"Wow Grover you actually lied? Congratulations my young apprentice!" Chris said while the Stoll's wiped fake tears from his eyes. Grover blushed before replying, "Well that wasn't really a lie. Every satyr takes vitamins for their ears and noses. I just didn't tell her the whole truth." "And everything makes sense again."

 ** **"That's admirable," she said. "But please, relax."  
Aunty Em ate nothing. She hadn't taken off her head-dress, even to cook, and now she sat forward and interlaced her fingers and watched us eat. It was a little unsettling, having someone stare at me when I couldn't see her face, but I was feeling satisfied after the burger, and a little sleepy, and I figured the least I could do was try to make small talk with our hostess.  
"So, you sell gnomes," I said, trying to sound interested.****

"Just so you know you didn't sound interested, just tired." Annabeth said while Percy sleepily shrugged his shoulder. After that he yawned and rested his head on Annabeth's lap barely keeping his eyes open. Concerned Hazel asked, "Are you okay Perce?" "Stupid cruse... I'm fine... Keep reading." He slurred.

 ** **"Oh, yes," Aunty Em said. "And animals. And people. Anything for the garden. Custom orders. Statuary is very popular, you know."  
"A lot of business on this road?"****

 ** **"Not so much, no. Since the highway was built... most cars, they do not go this way now. I must cherish every customer I get."  
My neck tingled, as if somebody else was looking at me. I turned, but it was just a statue of a young girl holding an Easter basket. The detail was incredible, much better than you see in most garden statues. But something was wrong with her face. It looked as if she were startled, or even terrified.****

"Poor little girl." Some people whispered while others looked confused.

 ** **"Ah," Aunty Em said sadly. "You notice some of my creations do not turn out well. They are marred. They do not sell. The face is the hardest to get right. Always the face."  
"You make these statues yourself?" I asked.  
"Oh, yes. Once upon a time, I had two sisters to help me in the business, but they have passed on, ****

Percy peeked his eyes opened for a moment and looked up to Annabeth before whispering, "Not anymore." and closing his eyes again. Annabeth rolled her eyes and started running her hand through his hair.

 ** **and Aunty Em is alone. I have only my statues. This is why I make them, you see. They are my company." The sadness in her voice sounded so deep and so real that I couldn't help feeling sorry for her.  
Annabeth had stopped eating. She sat forward and said, "Two sisters?"  
"It's a terrible story," Aunty Em said. "Not one for children, really. You see, Annabeth, a bad woman was jealous of me, long ago, when I was young. I had a... a boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible accident. My sisters stayed by me. They shared my bad fortune as long as they could, but eventually they passed on. They faded away. I alone have survived, but at a price. Such a price."****

Finally no one was confused by 'Aunty Em' anymore. Leo quickly spoke up to break the tiny silence, "Just to make sure we're all on the same track that is Medusa right?" "Bingo was his name oh." Percy slurred from his half-awake, half-asleep state. Everyone chuckled before turning back to Thaila all thinking the same thing, _How the Hades did he get out of this?_

 ** **I wasn't sure what she meant, but I felt bad for her. My eyelids kept getting heavier, my full stomach making me sleepy. Poor old lady. Who would want to hurt somebody so nice?****

"I could name a few." Piper said innocently.

 ** **"Percy?" Annabeth was shaking me to get my attention. "Maybe we should go. I mean, the ringmaster will be waiting."****

 ** **She sounded tense. I wasn't sure why. Grover was eating the waxed paper off the tray now, but if Aunty Em found that strange, she didn't say anything.  
"Such beautiful gray eyes," Aunty Em told Annabeth again. "My, yes, it has been a long time since I've seen gray eyes like those."****

Percy reached out and grabbed Annabeth's hand for reassurance. Everyone smiled at the couple even with the tense atmosphere. Hercules, however, was frowning at the pair just realizing how tough breaking the duo might be. He quickly shook off the thought. This chapter and last he had stayed quiet seeing if it would get the blondes attention. So far it had got him nothing so next chapter he was thinking about maybe some more insults. He smiled at thought, it was the perfect plan.

 ** **She reached out as if to stroke Annabeth's cheek, but Annabeth stood up abruptly.  
"We really should go."  
"Yes!" Grover swallowed his waxed paper and stood up. "The ringmaster is waiting! Right!"****

"Still keeping up the ringmaster act?" Chiron asked amused.

 ** **I didn't want to leave. I felt full and content. Aunty Em was so nice. I wanted to stay with her a while.  
"Please, dears," Aunty Em pleaded. "I so rarely get to be with children. Before you go, won't you at least sit for a pose?"  
"A pose?" Annabeth asked warily.  
"A photograph. I will use it to model a new statue set. Children are so popular, you see. Everyone loves children."  
Annabeth shifted her weight from foot to foot. "I don't think we can, ma'am. Come on, Percy-"  
"Sure we can," I said. ****

"Oh great." Everyone groaned.

 ** **I was irritated with Annabeth for being so bossy, so rude to an old lady who'd just fed us for free. "It's just a photo, Annabeth. What's the harm?"****

"A lot." Poseidon said darkly. "Thanks Captain Obvious!" Whispered so only his friends could hear, they all snickered quietly before quickly composing themselves.

 ** **"Yes, Annabeth," the woman purred. "No harm."  
I could tell Annabeth didn't like it, but she allowed Aunty Em to lead us back out the front door, into the garden of statues.****

"Really?" Athena questioned surprised. "Yeah, I was still fighting off the trance." Athena nodded her head in understanding.

 ** **Aunty Em directed us to a park bench next to the stone satyr. "Now," she said, "I'll just position you correctly. The young girl in the middle, I think, and the two young gentlemen on either side."  
"Not much light for a photo," I remarked.  
"Oh, enough," Aunty Em said. "Enough for us to see each other, yes?"  
"Where's your camera?" Grover asked.  
Aunty Em stepped back, as if to admire the shot. "Now, the face is the most difficult. Can you smile for me please, everyone? A large smile?"****

"That would be creepy, being killed by a monster when they last thing they said was a large smile." Leo said. Everyone chuckled trying to break the nervousness surrounding the trio.

 ** **Grover glanced at the cement satyr next to him, and mumbled, "That sure does look like Uncle Ferdinand."  
"Grover," Aunty Em chastised, "look this way, dear."  
She still had no camera in her hands.  
"Percy-" Annabeth said.****

 ** **Some instinct warned me to listen to Annabeth,****

"Yes please do." Poseidon whispered to himself.

 ** **but I was fighting the sleepy feeling, the comfortable lull that came from the food and the old lady's voice.  
"I will just be a moment," Aunty Em said. "You know, I can't see you very well in this cursed veil..."  
"Percy, something's wrong," Annabeth insisted.****

Perseus, Theseus, and Achilles all turned to Percy and asked the same question at the exact same time, "How did you survive this?"

 ** **"Wrong?" Aunty Em said, reaching up to undo the wrap around her head. "Not at all, dear. I have such noble company tonight. What could be wrong?"  
"That is Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover gasped.  
"Look away from her!" Annabeth shouted. She whipped her Yankees cap onto her head and vanished. Her invisible hands pushed Grover and me both off the bench.  
I was on the ground, looking at Aunt Em's sandaled feet.  
I could hear Grover scrambling off in one direction, Annabeth in another. But I was too dazed to move.****

Percy sat up again, slowly fighting off the sleepiness. He still leaned against Annabeth and gripping her hand he kissed her forehead before motion for Thaila to continue.

 ** **Then I heard a strange, rasping sound above me. My eyes rose to Aunty Em's hands, which had turned gnarled and warty, with sharp bronze talons for fingernails.****

Perseus still did not look away from his cousin. He had barely managed to kill Medusa, and that is when she was asleep.

 ** **I almost looked higher, but somewhere off to my left Annabeth screamed, "No! Don't!"****

"I will probably say this a lot, but thank you Annabeth." Poseidon said. Annabeth smiled in response completely ignoring her mother's smug look.

 ** **More rasping-the sound of tiny snakes, right above me, from ... from about where Aunty Em's head would be.****

 ** **"Run!" Grover bleated. I heard him racing across the gravel, yelling, "Maia!" to kick-start his flying sneakers.  
I couldn't move. I stared at Aunty Em's gnarled claws, and tried to fight the groggy trance the old woman had put me in.  
"Such a pity to destroy a handsome young face," she told me soothingly. "Stay with me, Percy. All you have to do is look up."****

Everyone keep on stealing glances at Percy just to make sure he was still here with them. Unfortunately, despite his groggy state, he noticed. "Can you all stop staring please, I'm fine and it's weird." He stated simply.

 ** **I fought the urge to obey. Instead I looked to one side and saw one of those glass spheres people put in gardens- a gazing ball. I could see Aunty Em's dark reflection in the orange glass; her headdress was gone, revealing her face as a shimmering pale circle. Her hair was moving, writhing like serpents.  
Aunty Em.  
Aunty "M."  
How could I have been so stupid?****

"That's probably easy." Octavian muttered to himself but Achilles heard. He turned and glare fiercely at the augur, who visibly gulped.

 ** **Think, I told myself. How did Medusa die in the myth?  
But I couldn't think. Something told me that in the myth Medusa had been asleep when she was attacked by my namesake, Perseus. She wasn't anywhere near asleep now. If she wanted, she could take those talons right now and rake open my face.****

"Pleasant thoughts."

 ** **"The Gray-Eyed One did this to me, Percy," Medusa said, and she didn't sound anything like a monster. Her voice invited me to look up, to sympathize with a poor old grandmother. "Annabeth's mother, the cursed Athena, turned me from a beautiful woman into this."****

 ** **"Don't listen to her!" Annabeth's voice shouted, somewhere in the statuary. "Run, Percy!"****

"Yes run Percy!" Every screamed on the edge of their seats.

 ** **"Silence!" Medusa snarled. Then her voice modulated back to a comforting purr. "You see why I must destroy the girl, Percy. She is my enemy's daughter. I shall crush her statue to dust. But you, dear Percy, you need not suffer."****

"Creepy." Apollo whispered to Hermes who nodded his head in agreement.

 ** **"No," I muttered. I tried to make my legs move.  
"Do you really want to help the gods?" Medusa asked. "Do you understand what awaits you on this foolish quest, Percy? What will happen if you reach the Underworld? Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear.****

All the gods looked uneasy at the statement.

 ** **You would be better off as a statue. Less pain. Less pain."  
"Percy!" Behind me, I heard a buzzing sound, like a two-hundred-pound hummingbird in a nosedive. Grover yelled, "Duck!"****

"Are you doing what I think you are?" Leo yelled his eyes wide with excitement.

 ** **I turned, and there he was in the night sky, flying in from twelve o'clock with his winged shoes fluttering, Grover, holding a tree branch the size of a baseball bat. His eyes were shut tight, his head twitched from side to side. He was navigating by ears and nose alone.****

Everyone cheered and Juniper kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. **  
** ** **  
"Duck!" he yelled again. "I'll get her!"  
That finally jolted me into action. Knowing Grover, I was sure he'd miss Medusa and nail me.****

"Wow thank for the confidence Perce." "Sorry Grover, but you know back then it's true." "Touché."

 **I dove to one side.**  
 **Thwack!**  
 **At first I figured it was the sound of Grover hitting a tree. Then Medusa roared with rage.**

"One-Zero Grover!" Everyone screamed while Grover was grinning while blushing slightly.  
 ** **  
"You miserable satyr," she snarled. "I'll add you to my collection!"  
"That was for Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover yelled back.  
I scrambled away and hid in the statuary while Grover swooped down for another pass.  
Ker-whack!****

"Two-zero Grover!"

 ** **"Arrgh!" Medusa yelled, her snake-hair hissing and spit-ting.  
Right next to me, Annabeth's voice said, "Percy!"  
I jumped so high my feet nearly cleared a garden gnome. "Jeez! Don't do that!"****

"It's so creepy." Percy whispered into Annabeth's ear. She just held her hands up in a 'what are you gonna do' motion.

 ** **Annabeth took off her Yankees cap and became visible. 'You have to cut her head off."  
"What? Are you crazy? Let's get out of here."  
"Medusa is a menace. She's evil. I'd kill her myself, but..." Annabeth swallowed, as if she were about to make a difficult admission. "But you've got the better weapon. Besides, I'd never get close to her. She'd slice me to bits because of my mother. You-you've got a chance."****

"Wow that must have been hard for you." Nico said surprised.

 ** **"What? I can't-"  
"Look, do you want her turning more innocent people into statues?"  
She pointed to a pair of statue lovers, a man and a woman with their arms around each other, turned to stone by the monster.****

"That's terrible." Hazel whispered. The trio nodded their heads in agreement.

 ** **Annabeth grabbed a green gazing ball from a nearby pedestal. "A polished shield would be better." She studied the sphere critically. "The convexity will cause some distortion. The reflection's size should be off by a factor of-"****

"Can you speak English?" Poseidon and Theseus groaned.

 **"Would you speak English?"**

"Like father like sons." Hermes smirked.

 ** **"I am!" She tossed me the glass ball. "Just look at her in the glass. Never look at her directly."  
"Hey, guys!" Grover yelled somewhere above us. "I think she's unconscious!"****

Everyone let out a huge breath they had been holding. While Hercules and Octavian's flipped around again. That's how he got out of this, she was unconscious!

 ** **"Roooaaarrr!"****

And just like that everyone was tense again and Hercules and Octavian were confused once again.

 ** **"Maybe not," Grover corrected. He went in for another pass with the tree branch.  
"Hurry," Annabeth told me. "Grover's got a great nose, but he'll eventually crash."  
I took out my pen and uncapped it. The bronze blade of Riptide elongated in my hand.  
I followed the hissing and spitting sounds of Medusa's hair.****

"Ew, she needs a new hairdo!" A young Aphrodite boy complained. Everyone rolled their eyes before turning their attention back to the book.

 ** **I kept my eyes locked on the gazing ball so I would only glimpse Medusa's reflection, not the real thing. Then, in the green tinted glass, I saw her.  
Grover was coming in for another turn at bat, but this time he flew a little too low. Medusa grabbed the stick and pulled him off course. He tumbled through the air and crashed into the arms of a stone grizzly bear with a painful "Ummphh!"****

"Ow." Everyone said at the same time. **  
** ** **  
Medusa was about to lunge at him when I yelled, "Hey!"  
I advanced on her, which wasn't easy, holding a sword and a glass ball. If she charged, I'd have a hard time defending myself.****

"And you got out of this?" **  
** ** **  
But she let me approach-twenty feet, ten feet.  
I could see the reflection of her face now. Surely it wasn't really that ugly. The green swirls of the gazing ball must be distorting it, making it look worse.  
"You wouldn't harm an old woman, Percy," she crooned. "I know you wouldn't."****

"You try to harm my friends and I will."

 ** **I hesitated, fascinated by the face I saw reflected in the glass-the eyes that seemed to burn straight through the green tint, making my arms go weak.****

Percy hand in Annabeth's all of a sudden went weak and fell into her lap. Annabeth just reached down and grasped it again. He offered her a weak smile to which she returned. **  
** ** **  
From the cement grizzly, Grover moaned, "Percy, don't listen to her!"  
Medusa cackled. "Too late."  
She lunged at me with her talons.****

Everyone sucked in their breathes while Octavian and Hercules smirked thinking he was about to be hurt and then saved by someone else. That has to be it! **  
** ** **  
I slashed up with my sword, heard a sickening shlock!, then a hiss like wind rushing out of a cavern-the sound of a monster disintegrating.  
Something fell to the ground next to my foot.****

Everyone looked at Percy in shock. It took a few more minutes before Perseus spook up, "One slice, a day of training, while she was awake and you managed to kill her?" Percy nodded sheepishly while blushing deeply. "Wow." Was all the everyone could make out. Octavian, Zeus and Hercules, on the other hand, had their jaws hanging. **  
** ** **  
It took all my willpower not to look. I could feel warm ooze soaking into my sock, little dying snake heads tugging at my shoelaces.****

Everyone turned slightly green at the description.

 ** **Oh, yuck," Grover said. His eyes were still tightly closed, but I guess he could hear the thing gurgling and steaming. "Mega-yuck."****

"I'm with you." Aphrodite said looking by far the greenist.

 ** **Annabeth came up next to me, her eyes fixed on the sky. She was holding Medusa's black veil. She said, "Don't move."  
Very, very carefully, without looking down, she knelt and draped the monster's head in black cloth, then picked it up. It was still dripping green juice.  
"Are you okay?" she asked me, her voice trembling.  
"Yeah," I decided, though I felt like throwing up my double cheeseburger. ****

Percy shut his eyes closed trying to fight off the queasiness.

 ** **"Why didn't ... why didn't the head evaporate?"  
"Once you sever it, it becomes a spoil of war," she said. "Same as your minotaur horn. But don't unwrap the head. It can still petrify you."  
Grover moaned as he climbed down from the grizzly statue. He had a big welt on his forehead. His green rasta cap hung from one of his little goat horns, and his fake feet had been knocked off his hooves.****

Juniper looked really concerned so Grover chuckled a little bit and grabbed her hands.

 ** **The magic sneakers were flying aimlessly around his head.  
"The Red Baron," I said. "Good job, man."  
He managed a bashful grin. "That really was not fun, though. Well, the hitting-her-with-a-stick part, that was fun. But crashing into a concrete bear? Not fun."****

 **"** Not at all."

 ** **He snatched his shoes out of the air. I recapped my sword. Together, the three of us stumbled back to the warehouse.  
We found some old plastic grocery bags behind the snack counter and double-wrapped Medusa's head. We plopped it on the table where we'd eaten dinner and sat around it, too exhausted to speak.  
Finally I said, "So we have Athena to thank for this monster?"****

"EXCUSE ME?" Athena yelled, her eyes going a dark and stormy grey. "I know that was really insulting Lady Athena but think of it from my perspective. I saw my mom disappear less than a week ago, I got attacked by a hellhound, got sent on a quest, and then attacked by the three furies and Medusa on first day. I think anyone in my position would be mad." That seemed to shut her up.

 ** **Annabeth flashed me an irritated look. "Your dad, actually.****

Poseidon's looked angry for a few seconds before he calmed down. Percy shot him a thankful look before Thalia continued.

 ** **Don't you remember? Medusa was Poseidon's girlfriend. They decided to meet in my mother's temple. That's why Athena turned her into a monster. Medusa and her two sisters who had helped her get into the temple, they became the three gorgons. That's why Medusa wanted to slice me up, but she wanted to preserve you as a nice statue. She's still sweet on your dad. You probably reminded her of him."****

Hera looked between the two, "You two do look almost identical."

 ** **My face was burning. "Oh, so now it's my fault we met Medusa."  
Annabeth straightened. In a bad imitation of my voice, she said: "'It's just a photo, Annabeth. What's the harm?'"  
"Forget it," I said. "You're impossible."  
"You're insufferable."  
"You're-"****

 ** **"Hey!" Grover interrupted. "You two are giving me a migraine, and satyrs don't even get migraines. What are we going to do with the head?"****

"Yeah what did you do the head? We all knew you killed Medusa but you never said anything about the head." Will asked.

 ** **I stared at the thing. One little snake was hanging out of a hole in the plastic. The words printed on the side of the bag said: WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS!  
I was angry, not just with Annabeth or her mom, but with all the gods for this whole quest, for getting us blown off the road and in two major fights the very first day out from camp. At this rate, we'd never make it to L.A. alive, much less before the summer solstice.****

"You shouldn't think that way seaweed brain." "And you were thinking different?" Percy asked innocently. Annabeth glared when Percy laughed at her sudden silence.

 ** **What had Medusa said?  
Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue.****

"You don't think that do you?" "Honest, sometime yeah I do, sorry dad." He added in afterthought in response to the sea gods question.

 ** **I got up. "I'll be back."  
"Percy," Annabeth called after me. "What are you-"  
I searched the back of the warehouse until I found Medusa's office. Her account book showed her six most recent sales, all shipments to the Underworld to decorate Hades and Persephone's garden. ****

"You support her?" Katie asked a bit outraged. Hades shook his head sadly, "I don't but Persephone wanted something to decorate her garden more. But don't worry I looked for their spirits and personally made sure they got what I thought was fair judgement."

 ** **According to one freight bill, the Underworld's billing address was DOA Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California.****

"That's helpful."

 ** **I folded up the bill and stuffed it in my pocket.  
In the cash register I found twenty dollars, a few golden drachmas, and some packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express, each with a little leather bag attached for coins. I rummaged around the rest of the office until I found the right-size box.****

"What are you doing Perce?" Rachel questioned.

 ** **I went back to the picnic table, packed up Medusa's head, and filled out a delivery slip:  
The Gods  
Mount Olympus  
600th Floor,  
Empire State Building  
New York, NY  
With best wishes,  
PERCY JACKSON****

Everyone was silent until all the Greeks burst out laughing. The Romans looked worries while the gods had looks of amusement and fury, though no god spoke their thoughts over their children's laughter and Poseidon's stern look. Even Zeus, who was silently fuming, didn't want to mess with his brother right now.

"OH MY GODS PERCE!" "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!" "PERCY YOU DAWG!" "Please tell me you didn't." "I always thought Grover was lying about that." Clarisse finished off all the Greeks shouting. The Romans still looked shell shocked until Reyna cracked a smile and asked, "How are you still alive?" He looked at her dead on with a completely blank expression, "I ask myself that question everyday." This time half the gods and all the Romans joined in on the Greeks laughter.

Hercules and Octavian shared a smug smile, excited to see Zeus make the kid pay. One thing they knew for sure, Zeus _will_ make him pay one way or another.

 ** **"They're not going to like that," Grover warned. "They'll think you're impertinent."****

 ** **I poured some golden drachmas in the pouch. As soon as I closed it, there was a sound like a cash register. The package floated off the table and disappeared with a pop!  
"I am impertinent," I said.****

"At least you admit it." "Yes dear Neeks, but I never denied it either." "Don't call me Neeks and whatever!"

 ** **I looked at Annabeth, daring her to criticize. She didn't.****

"Trust me I wasn't going too, I was too happy you were doing it."

 ** **She seemed resigned to the fact that I had a major talent for ticking off the gods.****

"UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE CENTURY!" Everyone screamed at the same time, Percy blushed slightly but laughed all the same.

 ** **"Come on," she muttered. "We need a new plan."****

"That the end." Thalia announced. Zeus was about to say something when his brother cut him off. "I'll read next Thalia." Poseidon said with an angry glare at the huffing Zeus. Thalia handed him the book and the sea god waste no time starting,

 ** **We Get Advice from a Poodle.****

* * *

 ** **Sorry about the late update, I got really sick so this week I was catching up on school, but yeah it's updated now. Anyways I hope you enjoyed please review and let me know what you want to see and/or what you like or want changed. In response to PJOloverforeva74 question how I don't make my characters too OOC (At least I hope they are not too OOC) by just writing anything I think the character would do. I don't think someone like Leo, and the Stoll's would be serious or the Romans would be joking and goofing around, so once I have decided how I want them to act I stick with it. And alos I read your story and I find no one is too OOC, so well done.****

 ** **Anyways,****

 _ ** **XOXOBeth2000****_


	15. We Get Advice From A Poodle

**OVER 200 FOLLOWS THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE! Also, just a heads up before you start this chapter, there is one moment when Percy goes a little OOC. I'm sorry I wrote then I thought it was too OOC but I couldn't bring myself to change it so I left it, so sorry if you don't like it. I promise to try and make no more OOC parts.**

 **Disclaimer~ I do not own the PJO series.**

* * *

"Um, okay. I think that it by far the most interesting chapter title." Katie stated.

 **We were pretty miserable that night.**

 **We camped out in the woods, a hundred yards from the main road, in a marshy clearing that local kids had obviously been using for parties. The ground was littered with flattened soda cans and fast-food wrappers.**

Demeter sighed unhappily, "Such a waste."

 **We'd taken some food and blankets from Aunty Em's, but we didn't dare light a fire to dry our damp clothes. The Furies and Medusa had provided enough excitement for one day. We didn't want to attract anything else.**

"Yeah I wouldn't want to either." Piper said.

 **We decided to sleep in shifts. I volunteered to take first watch.**

 **Annabeth curled up on the blankets and was snoring as soon as her head hit the ground.**

Connor and Travis looked like they wanted to say someone but Annabeth cut them off, "Not one word or else there will be a dagger and Riptide coming your way soon." The brothers gulped nervously while Percy smiled proudly. Him and Annabeth high-fived before turning their attention back to the sea god.

 **Grover fluttered with his flying shoes to the lowest bough of a tree, put his back to the trunk, and stared at the night sky.**

 **"Go ahead and sleep," I told him. "I'll wake you if there's trouble."**

 **He nodded, but still didn't close his eyes. "It makes me sad, Percy."**

 **"What does? The fact that you signed up for this stupid quest?"**

"I would have been if I were you G-Man." "Well I wasn't." "Me neither." Annabeth piped in after Grover. "You're both crazy then." Percy decided.

 **"No. This makes me sad." He pointed at all the garbage on the ground. "And the sky. You can't even see the stars. They've polluted the sky. This is a terrible time to be a satyr."**

"And a nymph." Juniper said sadley.

 **"Oh, yeah. I guess you'd be an environmentalist."**

"Environmentalist doesn't even cover it." Hermes said.

 **He glared at me. "Only a human wouldn't be. Your species is clogging up the world so fast ... ah, never mind. It's useless to lecture a human. At the rate things are going, I'll never find Pan."**

Hermes, Grover, Nico, Annabeth, Rachel, and Percy all sighed sadley. Hermes for his missing son, the rest for his passing. The Romans were a bit confused until Athena clarified, "Faunus." All the Roman nodded their heads in respect to the goddess before turning back to her rival.

 **"Pam? Like the cooking spray?"**

"Did you just compare a god to cooking spray?" "Yes, yes I did."

 **"Pan!" he cried indignantly. "P-A-N. The great god Pan! What do you think I want a searcher's license for?"**

"Oh that makes sense." Frank said clearly happy to have figured it out. "Why aren't fawns like that?" A son of Vulcan asked. "Satyrs were always more professional and responsible." Grover said sitting a little straighter.

 **A strange breeze rustled through the clearing, temporarily overpowering the stink of trash and muck. It brought the smell of berries and wildflowers and clean rainwater, things that might've once been in these woods.**

Hermes almost jumped out of his seat, "He gave you a sign?" He cried. "Um… yeah?" All the gods stood there, shock evident it their eyes. After a few minutes Poseidon shook off his shock enough to say, "Sorry it's just he hasn't given a sign since he disappeared." At this point all the other gods came to their senses enough to continue to story.

 **Suddenly I was nostalgic for something I'd never known.**

 **"Tell me about the search," I said.**

 **Grover looked at me cautiously, as if he were afraid I was just making fun.**

"Please tell me you weren't thinking that." "Sorry Perce, every human I said that to laughed, cough Thalia cough cough." Hearing that Percy stood up, walked over to Thalia. "Percy wha-" she stopped abruptly when he flicked her square in the head. "That's for laughing at my best friend." He said as he walked back to his seat beside Annabeth. The moment he sat down him and Grover high fives looking at Thaila completely straight faced.

That's when everyone couldn't help it. At once the entire room was filled with laughter. Thalia got over her shock and was about to zap him when Jason put a hand in front of her. "Nuh uh. You deserved that." Thalia stuck her tongue out in response before Poseidon continued.

 **"The God of Wild Places disappeared two thousand years ago," he told me. "A sailor off the coast of Ephesos heard a mysterious voice crying out from the shore, 'Tell them that the great god Pan has died!' When humans heard the news, they believed it.**

"People, people, people. You never listen to the mysterious voice, like if they say they are going to give you candy if you get in the car they're evil. Also wh-" "Leo?" "Yes beauty queen?" "Shut up!" Piper put so much charmspeak into everyone won't be surprise if he never talked again.

 **They've been pillaging Pan's kingdom ever since. But for the satyrs, Pan was our lord and master. He protected us and the wild places of the earth. We refuse to believe that he died. In every generation, the bravest satyrs pledge their lives to finding Pan.**

"Wait, so you are willing to die just so you can find a God who is supposed to be dead?" "Yes." Jason had a confused look on his face before he just just motioned to continue reading.

 **They search the earth, exploring all the wildest places, hoping to find where he is hidden, and wake him from his sleep."**

 **"And you want to be a searcher."**

 **"It's my life's dream," he said. "My father was a searcher. And my Uncle Ferdinand ... the statue you saw back there-"**

 **"Oh, right, sorry."**

 **Grover shook his head. "Uncle Ferdinand knew the risks. So did my dad. But I'll succeed. I'll be the first searcher to return alive."**

Nearly everyone who didn't know this choked on air. " _First?"_ They all looked at Grover like he was crazy. "So I'm going to guess that you didn't get yours because you are here and alive." Athena pointed out. Everyone who knows about Grover's statues were having a tough time keeping in their laughter. "I'm sure the books will explain Lady Athena."

 **"Hang on-the first?"**

 **Grover took his reed pipes out of his pocket. "No searcher has ever come back. Once they set out, they disappear. They're never seen alive again."**

 **"Not once in two thousand years?"**

 **"No."**

 **"And your dad? You have no idea what happened to him?"**

 **"None."**

"And you still want to go?" Theseus asked shocked.

 **"But you still want to go," I said, amazed.**

 **"I mean, you really think you'll be the one to find Pan?"**

"The odds do not look like they are in your favour." A young Venus girl said.

 **"I have to believe that, Percy. Every searcher does. It's the only thing that keeps us from despair when we look at what humans have done to the world. I have to believe Pan can still be awakened."**

"I hope someone does awaken Pan. I do miss him." Hermes said wistfully.

 **I stared at the orange haze of the sky and tried to understand how Grover could pursue a dream that seemed so hopeless.**

 **Then again, was I any better?**

"Look at that, we both accomplish our goals." Grover whispered to Percy, who thought for a moment before smiling. "Yeah we did didn't we?"

 **"How are we going to get into the Underworld?" I asked him. "I mean, what chance do we have against a god?"**

"Very little." Ares said smugly while all the other gods nodded in agreement.

 **"I don't know," he admitted. "But back at Medusa's, when you were searching her office? Annabeth was telling me-"**

 **"Oh, I forgot. Annabeth will have a plan all figured out."**

Annabeth winced slightly, "I guess I deserved, that didn't I?" "No you didn't, if it wasn't for you I would be dead long, long, long ago. I was just cranky and whiny." "But cranky and whiny for good reason." Annabeth pointed out. Athena glare, which she started when the sea god read the last line, faltered when Percy said his little piece. Although she may not like him with her daughter she did have to admit he would be a sweet boyfriend. That is for anyone but her daughter. Or any of her other children for that matter.

 **"Don't be so hard on her, Percy. She's had a tough life, but she's a good person. After all, she forgave me..." His voice faltered.**

Thalia turned a glared at Grover who had to look the other way. When it came to glares Percy's was by far the scariest, but Thalia was definitely in second with Annabeth. "What did he do?" "You'll find out."

 **"What do you mean?" I asked. "Forgave you for what?"**

Athena suddenly frowned, making the connection between the year Annabeth went to camp and the year of Grover's last assignment.

 **Suddenly, Grover seemed very interested in playing notes on his pipes.**

 **"Wait a minute," I said. "Your first keeper job was five years ago. Annabeth has been at camp five years. She wasn't ... I mean, your first assignment that went wrong-"**

Athena frowned even farther. How did the... the... sea spawn figure it out when she just did?"

 **"I can't talk about it," Grover said, and his quivering lower lip suggested he'd start crying if I pressed him.**

"Thalia stop glaring I think he gets the point." Percy whisper shouted to Thalia.

 **"But as I was saying, back at Medusa's, Annabeth and I agreed there's something strange going on with this quest. Some-thing isn't what it seems."**

 **"Well, duh. I'm getting blamed for stealing a thunder-bolt that Hades took."**

Hades just sighed.

 **"That's not what I mean," Grover said. "The Fur-The Kindly Ones were sort of holding back. Like Mrs. Dodds at Yancy Academy ... why did she wait so long to try to kill you? Then on the bus, they just weren't as aggressive as they could've been."**

"That's what I've been wondering about too." Demeter said.

 **"They seemed plenty aggressive to me."**

 **Grover shook his head.**

"You're right Grover, you had it easy. When they attacked me they never said anything." Thalia said.

 **"They were screeching at us: 'Where is it? Where?'"**

 **"Asking about me," I said.**

"But wouldn't they say where is _he_? Not where is _it_?" A newer camper asked. Everyone nodded their heads in response while sending questioning glances at the book.

 **"Maybe ... but Annabeth and I, we both got the feeling they weren't asking about a person. They said 'Where is it?' They seemed to be asking about an object."**

Everyone's eyebrows furrowed farther in confusion.

 **"That doesn't make sense."**

 **"I know. But if we've misunderstood something about this quest, and we only have nine** **days to find the master bolt..."**

"And you're quest just got harder." "Oh don't worry Jason, it gets _way_ harder." Grover and Percy nodded their heads in agreement.

 **He looked at me like he was hoping for answers, but I didn't have any.**

 **I thought about what Medusa had said: I was being used by the gods. What lay ahead of me was worse than petrification. "I haven't been straight with you," I told Grover. "I don't care about the master bolt. I agreed to go to the Underworld so I could bring back my mother."**

Hercules snorted, "I'd like to see _you_ try." Everyone turned and glared at him while Zeus was slowly turning more and more red. _Just follow the plan,_ he canted in his head, _Hercules plan is going to work and the little brat will be over._

 **Grover blew a soft note on his pipes. "I know that, Percy. But are you sure that's the only reason?"**

 **"I'm not doing it to help my father. He doesn't care about me. I don't care about him."**

Poseidon winced. "Don't worry dad, like a told Annabeth, I didn't mean it. I was tired and whiny." "No it's okay son if you-" "Dad I'm serious."

 **Grover gazed down from his tree branch. "Look, Percy, I'm not as smart as Annabeth. I'm not as brave as you. But I'm pretty good at reading emotions. You're glad your dad is alive. You feel good that he's claimed you, and part of you wants to make him proud. That's why you mailed Medusa's head to Olympus. You wanted him to notice what you'd done."**

"I'm pretty sure he will notice." Apollo said nodding his head in respect to the blushing Percy.

 **"Yeah? Well maybe satyr emotions work differently than human emotions. Because you're wrong. I don't care what he thinks."**

 **Grover pulled his feet up onto the branch. "Okay, Percy. Whatever."**

 **"Besides, I haven't done anything worth bragging about.**

All the demigods (past and present), along with Hermes and Apollo snorted while Octavian, Zeus and Hercules nodded their heads in agreement to Percy's statement. "Nothing to brag about my butt. You killed the Minotaurs with no training, took down six Ares kid, three furies, _and_ Medusa with a week's worth of training. Not to mention everything else you did later." Nico said. Percy blushed deeply, "Okay, so maybe a little bit to-" "A lot." Annabeth corrected. "-brag about. But still, if you brag then you look like a stupid, stuck up, arrogant jerk." He finished looking at Hercules. In response Hercules tried to glare but everyone laughed. He had _nothing_ on Percy.

 **We barely got out of New York and we're stuck here with no money and no way west."**

 **Grover looked at the night sky, like he was thinking about that problem. "How about I take first watch, huh? You get some sleep."**

 **I wanted to protest, but he started to play Mozart, soft and sweet, and I turned away, my eyes stinging.**

Hercules rolled his eyes and mocked cried at Percy, who just ignored him. Everyone's silently laughing at how pathetic Hercules was being.

 **After a few bars of Piano Concerto no. 12, I was asleep.**

 **In my dreams,**

Percy's close friends all groaned. "Not another stupid dream." Clarisse complained. Chris wrapped his arm around her in comfort.

 **I stood in a dark cavern before a gaping pit. Gray mist creatures churned all around me, whispering rags of smoke that I somehow knew were the spirits of the dead.**

"The underworld?" Reyna questioned. "Maybe... but the kind of sounds like..." Athena trailed off after locking eye contact with Hades. "If you don't mind me asking, Lady Min-Athena, where do you think that is?" Questioned a young daughter of Bellona. "Nothing I was just sounds like a certain part of the underworld." "Oh, okay." While the little exchange seven were exchanging glances. Well actually the five were trying to catch Percy and Annabeth's eye to confirm if they were right. But Percy and Annabeth weren't looking. Percy had his arm around Annabeth squeezing him tightly to his body while kissing her head. Annabeth was closing her eyes taking in all of Percy. They focused on each other to block the reminder of that... place.

 **They tugged at my clothes, trying to pull me back, but I felt compelled to walk forward to the very edge of the chasm.**

The five soon realized trying to get Percy and Annabeth's attention was pointless so they turned to each other. Getting the answer they with each other's glances

 **Looking down made me dizzy.**

Percy suddenly shut his eyes trying to fight off the feeling. Annabeth grabbed the hand on her and squeezed it reassurance.

 **The pit yawned so wide and was so completely black, I knew it must be bottomless.**

At once all the other gods clued into what Percy was dreaming about and paled drastically.

 **Yet I had a feeling that something was trying to rise from the abyss, something huge and evil.**

If it was possible they paled even further.

 **The little hero, an amused voice echoed far down in the darkness. Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do.**

 **The voice felt ancient-cold and heavy.**

"No." All the Olympians whimpered. _It's just a dream,_ they reminded themselves, _it doesn't necessarily mean anything._

 **It wrapped around me like sheets of lead.**

 **They have misled you, boy, it said. Barter with me. I will give you what you want.**

 **A shimmering image hovered over the void: my mother, frozen at the moment she'd dissolved in a shower of gold. Her face was distorted with pain, as if the Minotaur were still squeezing her neck. Her eyes looked directly at me, pleading: Go!**

Travis looked at Hades with a raised eyebrow, "No offence my Lord, but you are cruel." He got a whack from Katie for that. Although Hades didn't respond, he was too busy staring wide-eyed at the book.

 **I tried to cry out, but my voice wouldn't work.**

 **Cold laughter echoed from the chasm.**

 **An invisible force pulled me forward. It would drag me into the pit unless I stood firm.**

 **Help me rise, boy. The voice became hungrier. Bring me the bolt. Strike a blow against the treacherous gods!**

"Wait it said gods as if it wasn't one. That's not you Lord Hades is it?" Piper asked outloud. "I fear not mortal." Hades said gravely. All the former heroes were staring at the book in horror. Even Hercules was shocked.

 **The spirits of the dead whispered around me, No! Wake!**

 **The image of my mother began to fade. The thing in the pit tightened its unseen grip around me.**

 **I realized it wasn't interested in pulling me in. It was using me to pull itself out.**

All the gods breath hitched.

 **Good, it murmured. Good.**

 **Wake! the dead whispered. Wake!**

 **Someone was shaking me.**

 **My eyes opened, and it was daylight.**

Everyone let out a breath of air they were holding. "It's-It's just a dream right, not nearly real? Athena?" Aphrodite said truly terrified. Athena quickly got over her shock and answered back, "It could be one of three options, fictional, real life or past. It could really be any three but I strongly believe that it is the latter option." She concluded lying at the end.

She already figure out everything. Kronos was behind her father and uncles missing items. He was rising again. But for the sake of everyone else she wanted them to calm down and not to worry yet, and it appeared it worked. Annabeth and Malcolm exchanged confused looks before turning to their mother. One look at the grim look she sent them they were confused any more.

 **"Well," Annabeth said, "the zombie lives."**

 **I was trembling from the dream.**

"Aw was poor Puwrsee scared of a wittle dweam?" Hercules said mocking a baby. "Shut up jerk. I saw you trembling, and that was just from hearing the description." Annabeth snapped while Percy was smiling proudly at his girlfriend. _Oh my plan is so working!_ Hercules said throwing a wink at the daughter of Athena, who in response pretended to barf alongside Percy. All their friends rolled their eyes at the son of Zeus.

 **I could still feel the grip of the chasm monster around my chest. "How long was I asleep?"**

 **"Long enough for me to cook breakfast." Annabeth tossed me a bag of nacho-flavored corn chips from Aunty Em's snack bar.**

"Wow such a great cook Annie." Thalia said trying to get rid of the last of the tension in the room. Annabeth turned and glared at Thalia, "Don't call me Annie. It's A-n-n-a-b-e-t-h, not Annie." "Whatever Annie." Annabeth groaned frustration banging her head on Percy's shoulder and Poseidon took it as his cue to continue reading.

 **"And Grover went exploring. Look, he found a friend."**

 **My eyes had trouble focusing.**

 **Grover was sitting cross-legged on a blanket with something fuzzy in his lap, a dirty, unnaturally pink stuffed animal.**

 **No. It wasn't a stuffed animal. It was a pink poodle.**

"You... found... a... pink... poodle... and... befriended... it?" Nico said in between laughter. "Why yes, yes I did. Thank you very much." That sent the rest of the demigods over the rails.

 **The poodle yapped at me suspiciously. Grover said, "No, he's not."**

 **I blinked. "Are you ... talking to that thing?"**

"Hey Frank we found you a friend." "Shut it Valdez."

 **The poodle growled.**

 **"This thing," Grover warned, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."**

 **"You can talk to animals?"**

 **Grover ignored the question. "Percy, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy."**

"Gladiola the pink poodle. Aw you silly, silly mortals." Apollo ch8c

 **I stared at Annabeth, figuring she'd crack up at this practical joke they were playing on me, but she looked deadly serious.**

 **"I'm not saying hello to a pink poodle," I said. "Forget it."**

 **"Percy," Annabeth said. "I said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle."**

Everyone keep on laughing, the once tense environment completely gone.

 **The poodle growled.**

 **I said hello to the poodle.**

 **Grover explained that he'd come across Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up a conversation. The poodle had run away from a rich local family, who'd posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't really want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.**

"You know I like that poodle." Chris said with his brother nodding his head in agreement like an idiot.

 **"How does Gladiola know about the reward?" I asked.**

 **"He read the signs," Grover said. "Duh."**

 **"Of course," I said. "Silly me."**

"Oh gods Perce, you're killing me." Thalia said dying of laughter.

 **"So we turn in Gladiola," Annabeth explained in her best strategy voice, "we**

 **get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."**

 **I thought about my dream-the whispering voices of the dead, the thing in the chasm, and my mother's face, shimmering as it dissolved into gold. All that might be waiting for me in the West.**

"Too scared?" Hercules sneered. Perseus turned to his half-brother in disgust. "I would be if I were him."

 **"Not another bus," I said warily.**

 **"No," Annabeth agreed.**

 **She pointed downhill, toward train tracks I hadn't been able to see last night in the dark. "There's an Amtrak station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon."**

"That concludes it." Poseidon announced. "Why doesn't everyone take a half an hour break to stretch and grab a snack. Then meet back here." Demeter proposed. "Sounds like a plan to me!" Percy yelled pulling Annabeth onto a piggy bag before running off in the direction kitchen with Annabeth screaming and laughing. Aphrodite and her kids, Roman included, sighed happily watching the pair run off. Upon noticing the Venus kids behavior Reyna call out in a strong voice, "Roman can you follow me please." After that they all fell in line and followed their Praetor outside.

* * *

 **Hey so sorry that was a bit of a smaller chapter, but it's updated so I'm happy. I just want to say a few thing about some reviews.**

 **To ro781727: I actually totally forgot about that in the books but it doesn't matter. In my story I consider Hercules like the other past heroes and Octavian, I consider him dead, not a god. So in my story he would jump on the change not realizing he would hate it. So I hope that clears things up a bit, and thanks for pointing that out to me. :) And also Octavian was in the Fields of Asphodel but the Fates brought him with everyone else.**

 **To allen r: I realize that I have been writing the Romans a certain way without explaining much so the beginning of the next chapter will explain why they are like that, but I do see your point so I will try and make them a little less quiet.**

 **To EmmaTheHPJOnerd: I just basically think 'percities' is when you think like Percy, and you come down with his 'disease'. And you are probably right, it should be 'Percy-titis' instead of 'Perctitis' Thanks for pointing it out! :) Also I am not doing Solangelo or Thalico, because A) I HATE Thalico, and B) Nico is like twelve, that's too young for a relationship. Also in my story Nico not gay, just for the sake of the cousin relationship between Percy, Nico, and Thalia. I choose 1989 because I figure Thalia was conceived around the time so I wanted to go around there. (I just redid the math and found out I was wrong she was born in 1988, but lets pretend she was born two years later for my math mistakes sake.)**

 **For the Guest: Sorry forgot there was two ways to spell dam...**

 **Anyways that all the question I received, so if you have any more don't be afraid to ask. I will answer the best I can. Also next chapter I am going to make it my goal to reach over 160 reviews, so if you could help I would greatly appreciate it.**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_


	16. I Plunge to My Death

**Hey y'all! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! I just wanted to get past to holidays first and also I struggled writing this chapter. So sorry if it sucks... Also thanks for the 166 review and 235 follows! I am so frickin happy I can't even explain!**

 **Anyways,**

 **Disclaimer- I do not own the PJO series.**

* * *

Once they were finally outside, safely away from the Greeks ears Reyna started.

"I want to quickly remind you that we all need to watch our behaviour." "But why Reyna?" A son a Ceres asked, "We made amenze with the Greeks, so what's the problem?"

"The problem is," She drew out slowly, "we made amenze with the future Greeks, not the past Greek Gods. So all of you should be on your best behaviour. I don't want any children of Mercury pulling any stunts, or children of Venus losing your control."

"But Reyna what about Hazel, Frank, Percy, Jason, and Nico?" "Well first of all Percy is not Roman he is Greek. Hazel, Frank, and Jason are part of the seven so we have no no control over them. And lastly Nico is also Greek." "Yeah we could tell," Dakota slurred, "he's never been so happy and at peace."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Okay that is all Romans. You have about fifteen minutes to do as you please, but remember to act professional so the gods have no reason to hate us."

After that everyone ran off except Gwen. "Reyna you should ease up on everyone, we are only teenagers. And the gods aren't even how we expected, they are almost... normal. " "I know, but I'm still worried. I don't want anything to happen to Camp Jupiter." Gwen nodded as the two walked off together.

* * *

Meanwhile on the other side of Olympus Leo and Calypso were in deep conversation. "Hey Sunshine why are you so quiet?" Leo said halting and facing his girlfriend. She looked semi-nervous and semi-sheepish, "Oh well... it's um... you see-" "Sorry what's that I couldn't hear you." "Shut up Leo! It's just that I'm not so sure how the gods will react if they notice I'm not on my island. I mean I'm free in the future, but not right now. And also I don't want to be noticed by... um... Percy and Annabeth." She mumbled that last part. Upon seeing his confused face she clarified, "You know how Percy came to my island before." He nodded slowly not sure where this was going, "And, well, you know the only way to get off the island." Realization came a across his face, along with a little hurt. "I just figured I should give them both time to get used to me. I mean I _thought_ I was in love with Percy. And now Annabeth and him are in love, and I'm in love with you. But it still worries me." She concluded. Leo hugged her tightly, "Don't worry I don't care if you loved Percy, cause let me tell you, if I were a girl I would also fall for Percy. I-I mean hypothetically speaking. And screw the gods, they wouldn't touch you. I won't let them." "Thanks Leo." She whispered softly when they pulled apart. He grinned and grabbed her hand starting to slowly walk back to the throne room.

* * *

"Ugg! It's so hot in here." Annabeth complained. "Well it's your fault." Annabeth raised a eyebrow looking straight in his eyes, "Oh please enlighten me on how? As I remember you are were one to give me the hickeys so now I have to wear my hair down." "Well, you were the one moaning for more and not stopping me, so your fault."

Annabeth reached over the table and punched his arm. "Whatever." She said grumbling. Once they were done they got up together and walked around for the remaining time, after of course shoving anything that would fit into their pockets.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later everyone sat down Frank picked up the book.

 **I plunge to my death.**

"That," Jason noted, "does not sound good." "No it does not." Poseidon muttered to himself.

 **We spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain.** **We weren't attacked once,**

"I think that was my record." Percy said with Annabeth and Grover nodding their heads in agreement.

 **but I didn't relax. I felt that we were traveling around in a display case, being watched from above and maybe from below, that something was waiting for the right opportunity.**

 **I tried to keep a low profile because my name and picture were splattered over the front pages of several East Coast newspapers.**

"No fair." Travis grumbled while Connor pouted like a little kid. Everyone rolled their eyes while Katie smacked both of their heads.

 **The Trenton Register-News showed a photo taken by a tourist as I got off the Greyhound bus. I had a wild look in my eyes. My sword was a metallic blur in my hands. It might've been a baseball bat or a lacrosse stick.**

 **The picture's caption read:**

 **Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson, wanted for questioning in the Long Island disappearance of his mother two weeks ago, is shown here fleeing from the bus where he accosted several elderly female passengers. The bus exploded on an east New Jersey roadside shortly after Jackson fled the scene. Based on eyewitness accounts, police believe the boy may be traveling with two teenage accomplices. His stepfather, Gabe Ugliano,**

Everyone growled at the name.

 **has offered a cash reward for information leading to his capture.**

 **"Don't worry," Annabeth told me. "Mortal police could never find us."**

"I wouldn't be so sure." Leo said innocently. "Leo what did you?" "Nothing Piper!" He said a bit too quickly.

 **But she didn't sound so sure.**

"Ah ha!" "Shut up Leo!"

 **The rest of the day I spent alternately pacing the length of the train (because I had a really hard time sitting still) or looking out the windows.**

 **Once, I spotted a family of centaurs galloping across a wheat field, bows at the ready, as they hunted lunch. The lit-**

 **tle boy centaur, who was the size of a second-grader on a pony, caught my eye and waved.**

"Aw!" All the Aphrodite girls cooed. The Venus ones were about before they stopped themselves at Reyna stern look.

 **I looked around the passenger car, but nobody else had noticed. The adult riders all had their faces buried in laptop computers or magazines.**

 **Another time, toward evening, I saw something huge moving through the woods. I could've sworn it was a lion, except that lions don't live wild in America, and this thing was the size of a Hummer. Its fur glinted gold in the evening light. Then it leaped through the trees and was gone.**

"You saw the Nemean lion?" Annabeth asked. Hercules scoffed, "Good thing you didn't have to face it or it would swish you like a bug." He said arrogantly. Once again everyone rolled their eyes while Hercules two minions nodded their heads and Thalia, Grover and Percy shared a look.

 **Our reward money for returning Gladiola the poodle had only been enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. We couldn't get berths in the sleeper car, so we dozed in our seats. My neck got stiff. I tried not to drool in my sleep, since Annabeth was sitting right next to me.**

"Yeah that didn't work out for you." Annabeth smirked while Percy blushed deeply.

 **Grover kept snoring and bleating and waking me up. Once, he shuffled around and his fake foot fell off. Annabeth and I had to stick it back on before any of the other passengers noticed.**

"That would be a fun one to explain."

 **"So," Annabeth asked me, once we'd gotten Grover's sneaker readjusted. "Who wants your help?"**

 **"Huh?"**

 **"What do you mean?"**

 **"When you were asleep just now, you mumbled, 'I won't help you.' Who were you dreaming about?"**

 **I was reluctant to say anything. It was the second time I'd dreamed about the evil voice from the pit. But it bothered me so much I finally told her.**

 **Annabeth was quiet for a long time. "That doesn't sound like Hades. He always appears on a black throne, and he never laughs."**

"Thank you someone finally see I'm not guilty. And also I just don't laughing in front of my family and their children." "Um... okay." Thalia snickered, "Annie is finally the one speechless." "Shut up Thalia!"

" **He offered my mother in trade. Who else could do that?"**

"Exactly!" Zeus screamed pointing a figure at Hades. Athena was about to burst his bubble that a few beings could, but decided it was safest not too.

 **"I guess ... if he meant, 'Help me rise from the Underworld.' If he wants war with the Olympians. But why ask you to bring him the master bolt if he already has it?"**

 **I shook my head, wishing I knew the answer. I thought about what Grover had told me, that the Furies on the bus seemed to have been looking for something.**

 **Where is it? Where?**

 **"I'm so confused." Artemis snorted, "You always are Aphrodite." Before Aphrodite could reply, probably about needing someone to love so she was less cranky, Frank continued on.**

 **Maybe Grover sensed my emotions. He snorted in his sleep, muttered something about vegetables, and turned his head.**

Nico and Thalia shook their heads smiling.

 **Annabeth readjusted his cap so it covered his horns. "Percy, you can't barter with Hades. You know that, right? He's deceitful, heartless, and greedy.**

Everyone held their breaths waiting for Hades response. They did not, however expect him to smirk and say, "Guilty as charged."

 **I don't care if his Kindly Ones weren't as aggressive this time"**

 **"This time?" I asked. "You mean you've run into them before?"**

 **Her hand crept up to her necklace. She fingered a glazed white bead painted with the image of a pine tree, one of her clay end-of-summer tokens. "Let's just say I've got no love for the Lord of the Dead. You can't be tempted to make a deal for your mom."**

 **"What would you do if it was your dad?"**

 **"That's easy," she said. "I'd leave him to rot."**

"Wait, what?" Was the general outcry. Athena stared curiously at her daughter, who was glaring at everyone who looked her way.

 **"You're not serious?"**

 **Annabeth's gray eyes fixed on me. She wore the same expression she'd worn in the woods at camp, the moment she drew her sword against the hellhound. "My dad's resented me since the day I was born, Percy," she said. "He never wanted a baby. When he got me, he asked Athena to take me back and raise me on Olympus because he was too busy with his work.**

Athena nearly choked on the air hearing that, as did all the other gods.

 **She wasn't happy about that. She told him heroes had to be raised by their mortal parent."**

All the gods looked had a mixture of disgust, anger, horror and sadness. "Are-are all parents like that?" Hephaestus grumbled shocked. All the demigods exchanged glances before Percy spoke up, "Not necessarily." All the gods let out a breath of air, "But most of the time. Whether it's parent, step-parent, or both depends." At that all the gods went back to their previous state. Disgust, anger, horror, and sadness.

 **"But how ... I mean, I guess you weren't born in a hospital..."**

"Nope you definitely weren't." Percy whispered wiggling his eyebrows. Annabeth glared at him while smacked the side of his face.

 **"I appeared on my father's doorstep, in a golden cradle, carried down from Olympus by Zephyr the West Wind. You'd think my dad would remember that as a miracle, right? Like, maybe he'd take some digital photos or something. But he always talked about my arrival as if it were the most inconvenient thing that had ever happened to him. When I was five he got married and totally forgot about Athena. He got a 'regular' mortal wife, and had two 'regular' mortal kids, and tried to pretend I didn't exist."**

Athena, for the first ever, looked at a book in disgust.

 **I stared out the train window. The lights of a sleeping town were drifting by. I wanted to make Annabeth feel better, but I didn't know how.**

All the girls cooed while Percy blushed.

 **"My mom married a really awful guy," I told her. "Grover said she did it to protect me, to hide me in the scent of a human family. Maybe that's what your dad was thinking."**

 **Annabeth kept worrying at her necklace. She was pinching the gold college ring that hung with the beads. It occurred to me that the ring must be her father's. I wondered why she wore it if she hated him so much.**

 _Yeah why does she?_ Everyone silently thought. "Damn you are you freaky observant powers." Annabeth huffed. Percy chuckled lowly and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend.

 **"He doesn't care about me," she said. "His wife-my stepmom-treated me like a freak. She wouldn't let me play with her children. My dad went along with her. Whenever something dangerous happened-you know, something with monsters-they would both look at me resentfully, like, 'How dare you put our family at risk.' Finally, I took the hint. I wasn't wanted. I ran away."**

Everyone stared at Annabeth in shock. For a total of a whole second before Percy and Annabeth's glare combined caused them to turn their heads the other way. All except Hercules. He sent sympathy looks thinking that's what every girl wants. The power duo's glare increased so much that Hercules even had to turn away. After that Percy and Annabeth broke out into grins and made a show of high-fiving each other.

 **"How old were you?"**

 **"Same age as when I started camp. Seven."**

Athena's mouth went dry, as did all the other gods. "Seven?" Athena asked. Annabeth nodded. Artemis looked at Annabeth longingly. She would have made a great hunter if she wasn't with the... boy. Hercules smirked at her, oh how he _loves_ a fighter.

 **"But ... you couldn't have gotten all the way to Half-Blood Hill by yourself."**

 **"Not alone, no. Athena watched over me, guided me toward help. I made a couple of unexpected friends who took care of me, for a short time, anyway."**

 **I wanted to ask what happened, but Annabeth seemed lost in sad memories. So I listened to the sound of Grover snoring and gazed out the train windows as the dark fields of Ohio raced by.**

 **Toward the end of our second day on the train, June 13, eight days before the summer solstice, we passed through some golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis. Annabeth craned her neck to see the Gateway Arch, which looked to me like a huge shopping bag handle stuck on the city.**

Everyone laughed at the description.

 **"I want to do that," she sighed.**

 **"What?" I asked.**

 **"Build something like that. You ever see the Parthenon, Percy?"**

 **"Only in pictures."**

 **"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods, ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."**

"Look at that, your dream came true." Annabeth looked up to Percy fondly knowing full well more than on dream did come true, "Yeah, yeah it did."

 **I laughed. "You? An architect?"**

 **I don't know why, but I found it funny.**

Annabeth's siblings looked extremely offended and glared at Percy.

 **Just the idea of Annabeth trying to sit quietly and draw all day.**

The demigods thought for a moment. "I guess the idea of a ADHD twelve year old sketching out blueprints is kind of funny." Malcolm said laughing slightly.

 **Her cheeks flushed. "Yes, an architect. Athena expects her children to create things, not just tear them down, like a certain god of earthquakes I could mention."**

"Hey!" "Shut up you know it's true." "It so is not owl-face I-" "WOULD YOU BOTH SHUT UP."

 **I watched the churning brown water of the Mississippi below.**

 **"Sorry," Annabeth said. "That was mean."**

 **"Can't we work together a little?" I pleaded. "I mean, didn't Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?"**

"One very short, very wonderful time." Hermes said wistfully.

 **Annabeth had to think about it. "I guess ... the chariot," she said tentatively. "My mom invented it, but Poseidon created horses out of the crests of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."**

 **"Then we can cooperate, too. Right?"**

 **We rode into the city, Annabeth watching as the Arch disappeared behind a hotel.**

 **"I suppose," she said at last.**

 **We pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The intercom told us we'd have a three-hour layover before departing for Denver.**

 **Grover stretched. Before he was even fully awake, he said, "Food."**

Everyone chuckled.

 **"Come on, goat boy," Annabeth said. "Sightseeing."**

 **"Sightseeing?"**

 **"The Gateway Arch," she said. "This may be my only chance to ride to the top. Are you coming or not?"**

"Wish I said no." Percy muttered. "What was that?" Everyone question. Percy brushed it off waving for Frank to continue.

 **Grover and I exchanged looks.**

 **I wanted to say no, but I figured that if Annabeth was going, we couldn't very well let her go alone.**

 **Grover shrugged. "As long as there's a snack bar without monsters."**

"Not everyone's dreams came true." Annabeth whispered.

 **The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't that long. We threaded our way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling, but Annabeth kept telling us interesting facts about how the Arch was built, and Grover kept passing me jelly beans, so I was okay.**

Realization dawned on Annabeth. "That's why you were so quiet." Percy smirked, "Did you think I was actually listening to the facts?" He teased tickling her slightly. She laughed loudly and happily before answered back, "Point taken!" Hercules eyebrows furrowed at the sight of the two.

 **I kept looking around, though, at the other people in line. "You smell anything?" I murmured to Grover.**

 **He took his nose out of the jelly-bean bag long enough to sniff. "Underground," he said distastefully. "Underground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything."**

 **But something felt wrong to me. I had a feeling we shouldn't be here.**

"THEN LEAVE!" The Greeks screamed. "You guys do realize we were at the arch, the amazing piece of architecture," he quoted with his fingers, "for the first time with _Annabeth_." Everyone was silent for a moment before Connor spoke up, "Yeah on second thought good luck leaving."

 **"Guys," I said. "You know the gods' symbols of power?"**

 **Annabeth had been in the middle of reading about the construction equipment used to build the Arch, but she looked over. "Yeah?"**

 **"Well, Hade-"**

 **Grover cleared his throat. "We're in a public place... You mean, our friend downstairs?"**

"That sounds..." Achilles struggled for words, "weird."

 **"Um, right," I said. "Our friend way downstairs. Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"**

"Helm of Darkness." Hades corrected.

 **"You mean the Helm of Darkness," Annabeth said. "Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting."**

 **"He was there?" I asked.**

 **She nodded. "It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus-the darkest day of the year. But his helm is a lot more powerful than my invisibility hat, if what I've heard is true..."**

 **"It allows him to become darkness," Grover confirmed. "He can melt into shadow or pass through walls. He can't be touched, or seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think all rational creatures fear the dark?"**

"Well that pleasant." "Actually Leo, it awesome." Nico corrected for the demigods to hear. They all looked creeped out at the little smile oh the thirteen year old's face.

 **"But then ... how do we know he's not here right now, watching us?" I asked.**

Hades looked slightly offended, "I'm a god. No matter how much I wanted to kill you I wouldn't be stocking a mere mortal."

 **Annabeth and Grover exchanged looks.**

 **"We don't," Grover said.**

 **"Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better," I said. "Got any blue jelly beans left?"**

 **I'd almost mastered my jumpy nerves when I saw the tiny little elevator car we were going to ride to the top of the Arch, and I knew I was in trouble.**

"Why?" Hazel asked concerned.

 **I hate confined places. They make me nuts.**

"Oh never mind then." Everyone chuckled while Percy winked at her.

 **We got shoehorned into the car with this big fat lady and her dog, a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar. I figured maybe the dog was a seeing-eye Chihuahua, because none of the guards said a word about it.**

"That's strange." Perseus spook up. "Yep definitely a monster." Theseus chipped in.

 **We started going up, inside the Arch. I'd never been in an elevator that went in a curve, and my stomach wasn't too happy about it.**

 **"No parents?" the fat lady asked us.**

 **She had beady eyes; pointy, coffee-stained teeth; a floppy denim hat, and a denim dress that bulged so much, she looked like a blue-jean blimp.**

Everyone laughed.

 **"They're below," Annabeth told her. "Scared of heights."**

 **"Oh, the poor darlings."**

 **The Chihuahua growled. The woman said, "Now, now, sonny. Behave." The dog had beady eyes like its owner, intelligent and vicious.**

Athena and Artemis eyed the book figured out who the monster is.

 **I said, "Sonny. Is that his name?"**

 **"No," the lady told me.**

 **She smiled, as if that cleared everything up.**

"That doesn't clear up anything." Rachel said.

 **At the top of the Arch, the observation deck reminded me of a tin can with carpeting.**

Everyone raised an eyebrow at Percy who just shrugged while blushing.

 **Rows of tiny windows looked out over the city on one side and the river on the other. The view was okay, but if there's anything I like less than a confined space, it's a confined space six hundred feet in the air. I was ready to go pretty quick.**

 **Annabeth kept talking about structural supports, and how she would've made the windows bigger, and designed a see through floor. She probably could've stayed up there for hours, but luckily for me the park ranger announced that the observation deck would be closing in a few minutes.**

"Well that sucks. You just got up there and now you have to leave." "Tell me it about Malcolm."

 **I steered Grover and Annabeth toward the exit, loaded them into the elevator, and I was about to get in myself when I realized there were already two other tourists inside. No room for me.**

 **The park ranger said, "Next car, sir."**

 **"We'll get out," Annabeth said. "We'll wait with you."**

 **But that was going to mess everybody up and take even more time, so I said, "Naw, it's okay. I'll see you guys at the bottom."**

 **Grover and Annabeth both looked nervous, but they let the elevator door slide shut. Their car disappeared down the ramp.**

"And here come trouble."

 **Now the only people left on the observation deck were me, a little boy with his parents, the park ranger, and the fat lady with her Chihuahua.**

 **I smiled uneasily at the fat lady. She smiled back, her forked tongue flickering between her teeth.**

"Forked tongue?" Everyone questioned nervous.

 **Wait a minute.**

 **Forked tongue?**

 **Before I could decide if I'd really seen that, her Chihuahua jumped down and started yapping at me.**

 **"Now, now, sonny," the lady said. "Does this look like a good time? We have all these nice people here."**

"I don't know if that statement made me hate her or be afraid of her." Will stated.

 **"Doggie!" said the little boy. "Look, a doggie!"**

 **His parents pulled him back.**

 **The Chihuahua bared his teeth at me, foam dripping from his black lips.**

 **"Well, son," the fat lady sighed. "If you insist."**

"Son?" Poseidon questioned grubbing his throne tightly.

 **Ice started forming in my stomach. "Urn, did you just call that Chihuahua your son?"**

 **"Chimera, dear," the fat lady corrected.**

"Oh gods, " Jason groaned, "you run into everything." "Tell me about it." Grover and Annabeth grumbled.

 **"Not a Chihuahua. It's an easy mistake to make."**

 **She rolled up her denim sleeves, revealing that the skin of her arms was scaly and green.**

"She really needs to moisturize her arms!" Aphrodite sqeaked.

 **When she smiled, I saw that her teeth were fangs. The pupils of her eyes were side-ways slits, like a reptile's.**

 **The Chihuahua barked louder, and with each bark, it grew. First to the size of a Doberman, then to a lion. The bark became a roar.**

"Oh gods."

 **The little boy screamed. His parents pulled him back toward the exit, straight into the park ranger, who stood, paralyzed, gaping at the monster.**

 **The Chimera was now so tall its back rubbed against the roof. It had the head of a lion with a bloodcaked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent for a tail, a ten-foot-long diamondback growing right out of its shaggy behind.**

Everyone gaped at the book.

 **The rhinestone dog collar still hung around its neck, and the plate-sized dog tag was now easy to read: CHIMERA-RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS-IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL TARTARUS-EXT. 954.**

"Great, just great."

 **I realized I hadn't even uncapped my sword. My hands were numb. I was ten feet away from the Chimera's bloody maw, and I knew that as soon as I moved, the creature would lunge.**

Hercules shook his head smiling widely. "What an idiot." He muttered to Octavian, who was also smiling like an idiot.

 **The snake lady made a hissing noise that might've been laughter. "Be honored, Percy Jackson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my brood.**

 **Poseidon turned and glared deeply at his brother. Who, in turn, tried not to notice the fury in the sea god's eyes but pretending to be very interested in Hera's hair.**

 **For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna!"**

 **I stared at her. All I could think to say was: "Isn't that a kind of anteater?"**

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Really seaweed brain?" He smiled and blushed weakly preparing himself for what was coming next.

 **She howled, her reptilian face turning brown and green with rage. "I hate it when people say that! I hate Australia! Naming that ridiculous animal after me. For that, Percy Jackson, my son shall destroy you!"**

"Hey at least it's an original line." Percy said trying to break the tension, "Most say you shall die, not my son shall have you soul." By the end everyone cracked a smile while Grover, Annabeth, Thalia, and Nico were dying of laughter.

 **The Chimera charged, its lion teeth gnashing. I managed to leap aside and dodge the bite.**

 **I ended up next to the family and the park ranger, who were all screaming now, trying to pry open the emergency exit doors.**

 **I couldn't let them get hurt. I uncapped my sword, ran to the other side of the deck, and yelled, "Hey, Chihuahua!" The Chimera turned faster than I would've thought possible.**

 **Before I could swing my sword, it opened its mouth, emitting a stench like the world's largest barbecue pit, and shot a column of flame straight at me.**

Annabeth grasped Percy's arm.

 **I dove through the explosion. The carpet burst into flames; the heat was so intense, it nearly seared off my eyebrows.**

Percy reached up a felt his forehead. "What's up?" Nico asked concerned. "Oh, uh nothing it's just hot." He brushed off.

 **Where I had been standing a moment before was a ragged hole in the side of the Arch, with melted metal steaming around the edges.**

 **Great, I thought. We just blowtorched a national monument.**

"DUDE!" Travis, Connor, and the rest of the Hermes kids said. "I've always wanted to do that!"

 **Riptide was now a shining bronze blade in my hands, and as the Chimera turned, I slashed at its neck.**

 **That was my fatal mistake**.

"Fatal?" Poseidon squeaked his face draining of colour.

 **The blade sparked harmlessly off the dog collar. I tried to regain my balance, but I was so worried about defending myself against the fiery lion's mouth, I completely forgot about the serpent tail until it whipped around and sank its fangs into my calf.**

"Oh gods." Everyone whispered to themselves trying to brace themselves for what is happening next.

 **My whole leg was on fire.**

Percy yelped out grabbing his leg. It was _much_ worse than he remembered. Annabeth wrapped her arm around Percy's shoulder in comfort, not knowing what to do. If there was one thing about Percy it's that he never showed pain.

 **I tried to jab Riptide into the Chimera's mouth, but the serpent tail wrapped around my ankles and pulled me off balance, and my blade flew out of my hand, spinning out of the hole in the Arch and down toward the Mississippi River.**

"Oh great!" Achilles said loudly to himself. Except no one else heard him over Percy's cries of pain.

 **I managed to get to my feet, but I knew I had lost. I was weaponless. I could feel deadly poison racing up to my chest.**

Percy's breath became more laboured and that's when everyone around him started to panic, and he didn't even notice in the state he was. "Apollo, this can't kill him can it?" Thalia asked trembling slightly. Apollo said, looking shocked at the scene he was seeing, "I-I don't know, depends on what curse the fates used. But no matter what we need to hurry up and finish that chapter, I don't know how much more his body can take before it passes out or shuts down." Everyone shared a panicked look before Frank started reading double time.

Everyone was too panicked to notice Hercules, Octavian, and Zeus's greedy smiles as they watched the scene fold in front of them.

 **I remembered Chiron saying that Anaklusmos would always return to me, but there was no pen in my pocket. Maybe it had fallen too far away. Maybe it only returned when it was in pen form. I didn't know, and I wasn't going to live long enough to figure it out.**

 **I backed into the hole in the wall. The Chimera advanced, growling, smoke curling from its lips. The snake lady, Echidna, cackled. "They don't make heroes like they used to, eh, son?"**

 **The monster growled. It seemed in no hurry to finish me off now that I was beaten.**

 **I glanced at the park ranger and the family. The little boy was hiding behind his father's legs. I had to protect these people. I couldn't just ... die. I tried to think, but my whole body was on fire. My head felt dizzy.**

Percy grabbed his head while holding onto a scream. "I'm... I'm... f-fine." He tried after noticing the unshed tears in Annabeth's eyes. "Nice try there Perce." She said her voice wobbling.

 **I had no sword. I was facing a massive, fire-breathing monster and its mother. And I was scared.**

 **There was no place else to go, so I stepped to the edge of the hole. Far, far below, the river glittered.**

 **If I died, would the monsters go away?**

"That would work." Athena spoke to herself

 **Would they leave the humans alone?**

 **"If you are the son of Poseidon," Echidna hissed, "you would not fear water. Jump, Percy Jackson. Show me that water will not harm you. Jump and retrieve your sword. Prove your bloodline."**

"It's too high." Reyna said gravely.

 **Yeah, right, I thought. I'd read somewhere that jumping into water from a couple of stories up was like jumping onto solid asphalt. From here, I'd splatter on impact.**

 **The Chimera's mouth glowed red, heating up for another blast.**

"Oh gods read faster Frank!" Thalia snapped panicking as Percy's breath started to slow.

 **"You have no faith," Echidna told me. "You do not trust the gods. I cannot blame you, little coward. Better you die now. The gods are faithless. The poison is in your heart."**

Annabeth let out a halve sobe when Percy starting closing his eyes. Apollo raced over along with Poseidon seeing that. The God of medicine rest his hand on Percy's head. "He's just passing out, but do read faster Frank!"

 **She was right: I was dying. I could feel my breath slowing down.**

As they were now.

 **Nobody could save me, not even the gods.**

 **I backed up and looked down at the water. I remembered the warm glow of my father's smile when I was a baby. He must have seen me. He must have visited me when I was in my cradle.**

Zeus was about to say something, no doubt about the stupid law, when he saw the other gods glaring at him, as if to say _don't even think about it_.

 **I remembered the swirling green trident that had appeared above my head the night of capture the flag, when Poseidon had claimed me as his son.**

 **But this wasn't the sea. This was the Mississippi, dead center of the USA. There was no Sea God here.**

"You never know." Poseidon whispered looking down at his son who was laying down passed out.

" **Die, faithless one," Echidna rasped, and the Chimera sent a column of flame toward my face.**

 **"Father, help me," I prayed.**

 **I turned and jumped. My clothes on fire, poison coursing through my veins, I plummeted toward the river.**

Seeing as Percy still wasn't awake Frank threw the book to the closest person around him, Leo. Leo quickly opened the book and read,

 **I become a known fugitive.**

* * *

 **So that it. I will probably re-wrote this chapter and re-post it so it's not so... what's the word? Cheesy, over-dramatic? Something along those lines. Also tell me if any formatting is weird. (I just it a tablet for Christmas and used it too post this)**

 **I just want to answer some questions everyone has for me:**

 **ro781727: I'm not sure how I'm going to end it yet but one thing is for sure, Octavian in going back to the underworld.**

 **Ridtide24: I usually update once every week. (Not counting the holiday times when I got all messed up, sorry about that)**

 **demigodforlife: I don't know his exact age but I believe its around 13. My mistake I thought he was twelve.**

 **Guest: I may or may not already be planning that ;) But when I do do it, it will be after the first book is done.**

 **And that's about all!**

 **So I until next chapter amigos!**

XOXO-Beth2000


	17. I Become a Known Fugitive

**I am so sorry for not updating sooner! I have had a very stressful month of school and getting over the holidays. So please read the authors at the bottom.**

 **Disclaimer~ I'm a girl, so I am not Rick.**

* * *

 **I'd love to tell you I had some deep revelation on my way down, that I came to terms with my own mortality, laughed in the face of death, et cetera.**

 **The truth? My only thought was: Aaaaggghhhhh!**

Everyone chuckles slightly despite the current predicament.

 **The river raced toward me at the speed of a truck. Wind ripped the breath from my lungs. Steeples and skyscrapers and bridges tumbled in and out of my vision.**

 **And then: Flaaa-boooom!**

Everyone who didn't know Percy closed their eyes expecting him to be in more pain.

 **A whiteout of bubbles. I sank through the murk, sure that I was about to end up embedded in a hundred feet of mud and lost forever.**

"Such a pessimist." Grover said quietly shaking his head.

 **But my impact with the water hadn't hurt.**

"What?" A confused camper questioned as Percy sighed quickly.

 **I was falling slowly now, bubbles trickling up through my fingers. I settled on the river bottom soundlessly. A catfish the size of my stepfather lurched away into the gloom. Clouds of silt and disgusting garbage-beer bottles, old shoes, plastic bags-swirled up all around me.**

Everyone's nose wrinkle in disgust.

 **At that point, I realized a few things: first, I had not been flattened into a pancake. I had not been barbecued. I couldn't even feel the Chimera poison boiling in my veins anymore. I was alive, which was good.**

Everyone sighed in relief as Percy opened his eyes and sat up. "What wrong?" He asked noticing everyone's staring eyes. "YOU IDIOT!" Annabeth screamed punching his shoulder, hard. "Ow! what was that for?" He asked looking around. "When we read about the fight between you and Echidna you passed out and had everyone worried, especially Annabeth." Apollo explained. "Oh gods, I'm so sorry Annabeth." He said hugging her. They hugged for a few minutes before the moved back to the couch. All of his friends walked over to him and at same time slapped him on anywhere they could before hugging while yelling insults like 'idiot' and 'jackass'. When they all sat down again Percy turned to Annabeth and asked, "Aren't you going to judo flip me? It's kind of a tradition right?" "Do that again, Seaweed Brain. Then we'll see."

 **Second realization: I wasn't wet. I mean, I could feel the coolness of the water. I could see where the fire on my clothes had been quenched. But when I touched my own shirt, it felt perfectly dry.**

"That's so cool!"

 **I looked at the garbage floating by and snatched an old cigarette lighter.**

 **No way, I thought.**

 **I flicked the lighter. It sparked. A tiny flame appeared, right there at the bottom of the Mississippi.**

"Dude what if you held my hand under water? Could I go all human torch on you?" Leo questioned. Percy gave him a look before turning and kissing Annabeth again.

 **I grabbed a soggy hamburger wrapper out of the current and immediately the paper turned dry. I lit it with no problem. As soon as I let it go, the flames sputtered out. The wrapper turned back into a slimy rag. Weird.**

"Correction; awesome!"

 **But the strangest thought occurred to me only last: I was breathing. I was underwater, and I was breathing normally.**

"That's what you thought of last?" Piper questioned to which he just got a wave of the hand instead.

 **I stood up, thigh-deep in mud. My legs felt shaky. My hands trembled. I should've been dead. The fact that I wasn't seemed like ... well, a miracle. I imagined a woman's voice, a voice that sounded a bit like my mother: Percy, what do you say?**

 **"Um ... thanks." Underwater, I sounded like I did on recordings, like a much older kid. "Thank you ... Father."**

"You don't have to thanks me." Poseidon said relieved to see his son okay. Percy finally broke apart from Annabeth he just shrugged in response.

 **No response. Just the dark drift of garbage downriver, the enormous catfish gliding by, the flash of sunset on the water's surface far above, turning everything the color of butterscotch.**

 **Why had Poseidon saved me? The more I thought about it, the more ashamed I felt. So I'd gotten lucky a few times before. Against a thing like the Chimera, I had never stood a chance. Those poor people in the Arch were probably toast.**

"And it would be your fault." Hercules said disappointed that Percy was alright. Everyone turned and glared at him. "Actually that was the best he could do." Achilles said before anyone else, "Monsters don't like to hurt mortals so when he left everyone else would have been fine."

 **I couldn't protect them. I was no hero. Maybe I should just stay down here with the catfish, join the bottom feeders.**

 **Fump-fump-fump. A riverboat's paddlewheel churned above me, swirling the silt around.**

 **There, not five feet in front of me, was my sword, its gleaming bronze hilt sticking up in the mud.**

 **I heard that woman's voice again: Percy, take the sword. Your father believes in you. This time, I knew the voice wasn't in my head. I wasn't imagining it. Her words seemed to come from everywhere, rippling through the water like dolphin sonar.**

"You really like sea referenced don't you?" Hermes asked smiling. "What can I say, it runs in my veins."

 **"Where are you?" I called aloud.**

 **Then, through the gloom, I saw her-a woman the color of the water, a ghost in the current, floating just above the sword. She had long billowing hair, and her eyes, barely visible, were green like mine.**

 **A lump formed in my throat. I said, "Mom?"**

"Oh that's cruel, and that's coming from me." Hades said.

 **No, child, only a messenger, though your mother's fate is not as hopeless as you believe.**

"What?" Everyone who didn't know questioned.

 **Go to the beach in Santa Monica.**

 **"What?"**

 **It is your father's will. Before you descend into the Underworld, you must go to Santa Monica. Please, Percy, I cannot stay long. The river here is too foul for my presence.**

"Stupid mortals." Juniper, Grover, and Poseidon mutter at the same time.

 **"But ..." I was sure this woman was my mother, or a vision of her, anyway. "Who-how did you-"**

 **There was so much I wanted to ask, the words jammed up in my throat.**

 **I cannot stay, brave one, the woman said. She reached out, and I felt the current brush my face like a caress. You must go to Santa Monica! And, Percy, do not trust the gifts...**

"Gifts, what gifts? Artemis questioned.

 **Her voice faded.**

 **"Gifts?" I asked. "What gifts? Wait!"**

 **She made one more attempt to speak, but the sound was gone. Her image melted away. If it was my mother, I had lost her again.**

"As I said before, _very_ cruel."

 **I felt like drowning myself. The only problem: I was immune to drowning.**

Everyone glanced at Percy. "Stop looking at me like that I was twelve!"

 **Your father believes in you, she had said.**

 **She'd also called me brave ... unless she was talking to the catfish.**

 **I waded toward Riptide and grabbed it by the hilt. The Chimera might still be up there with its snaky, fat mother, waiting to finish me off. At the very least, the mortal police would be arriving, trying to figure out who had blown a hole in the Arch. If they found me, they'd have some questions.**

"Oh, a lot more than that." Travis said.

 **I capped my sword, stuck the ballpoint pen in my pocket. "Thank you, Father," I said again to the dark water.**

Poseidon was about to say something when Percy cut in, "I know dad."

 **Then I kicked up through the muck and swam for the surface.**

 **I came ashore next to a floating McDonald's.**

 **A block away, every emergency vehicle in St. Louis was surrounding the Arch. Police helicopters circled overhead. The crowd of onlookers reminded me of Times Square on New Year's Eve.**

 **A little girl said, "Mama! That boy walked out of the river."**

 **"That's nice, dear," her mother said, craning her neck to watch the ambulances.**

 **"But he's dry!"**

 **"That's nice, dear."**

"Wow, so ignorant."

 **A news lady was talking for the camera: "Probably not a terrorist attack, we're told, but it's still very early in the investigation. The damage, as you can see, is very serious. We're trying to get to some of the survivors, to question them about eyewitness reports of someone falling from the Arch."**

 **Survivors. I felt a surge of relief. Maybe the park ranger and that family made it out safely.**

"They did." Annabeth whispered into Percy's ear.

 **I hoped Annabeth and Grover were okay.**

 **I tried to push through the crowd to see what was going on inside the police line.**

 **"... an adolescent boy," another reporter was saying. "Channel Five has learned that surveillance cameras show an adolescent boy going wild on the observation deck, somehow setting off this freak explosion. Hard to believe, John, but that's what we're hearing. Again, no confirmed fatalities ..."**

 **I backed away, trying to keep my head down. I had to go a long way around the police perimeter. Uniformed officers and news reporters were everywhere.**

 **I'd almost lost hope of ever finding Annabeth and Grover when a familiar voice bleated, "Perrr-cy!"**

 **I turned and got tackled by Grover's bear hug-or goat hug.**

Everyone laughed.

 **He said, "We thought you'd gone to Hades the hard way!"**

"Wouldn't that be the easy way?" Conner asked confused. Rachel rolled her eyes before replying, "Will it's not the fun way."

 **Annabeth stood behind him, trying to look angry, but even she seemed relieved to see me. "We can't leave you alone for five minutes! What happened?"**

 **"I sort of fell."**

Everyone snorted at the word 'sort of'.

 **"Percy! Six hundred and thirty feet?"**

"You know that?" Frank asked impressed. Annabeth waved her hand dismissively, "Of course I do."

 **Behind us, a cop shouted, "Gangway!" The crowd parted, and a couple of paramedics hustled out, rolling a woman on a stretcher. I recognized her immediately as the mother of the little boy who'd been on the observation deck. She was saying, "And then this huge dog, this huge fire-breathing Chihuahua-"**

 **"Okay, ma'am," the paramedic said. "Just calm down. Your family is fine. The medication is starting to kick in."**

 **"I'm not crazy! This boy jumped out of the hole and the monster disappeared." Then she saw me. "There he is! That's the boy!"**

"Run!" All the Hermes yelled.

 **I turned quickly and pulled Annabeth and Grover after me. We disappeared into the crowd.**

 **"What's going on?" Annabeth demanded. "Was she talking about the Chihuahua on the elevator?"**

 **I told them the whole story of the Chimera, Echidna, my high-dive act, and the underwater lady's message.**

Grover and Annabeth snorted. "You're verson of the story was the chihuahua was a chimera and I fought it for a bit before it hurt me and I fell out of the arch." Grover said glaring at Percy. "You missed over three quarters of the story Seaweed Brain." "Sorry?"

 **"Whoa," said Grover. "We've got to get you to Santa Monica! You can't ignore a summons from your dad."**

 **Before Annabeth could respond, we passed another reporter doing a news break, and I almost froze in my tracks when he said, "Percy Jackson. That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned that the boy who may have caused this explosion fits the description of a young man wanted by authorities for a serious New Jersey bus accident three days ago. And the boy is believed to be traveling west. For our viewers at home, here is a photo of Percy Jackson."**

"Oh crap."

 **We ducked around the news van and slipped into an alley.**

 **"First things first," I told Grover. "We've got to get out of town!"**

 **Somehow, we made it back to the Amtrak station without getting spotted. We got on board the train just before it pulled out for Denver. The train trundled west as darkness fell, police lights still pulsing against the St. Louis skyline behind us.**

"Hallelujah!" Everyone screamed. "I'll read next." Grover volunteered taking the book from Leo.

 **A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers.**

* * *

 **I am really sorry for not updating sooner, I have been behind in school a bit this month and have been trying to catch up. I promise I am not abandoning the story. The updates might not be every week like they were before but I am trying really hard. Thank you for the amazing reviews, everyone is so nice! I am quickly going to answer some questions, so here it goes:**

 **infinitestormtales: I know it originally said everyone feels the curse, but I changed my mind (sorry should have said it before) so only Percy feels it now.**

 **Fabulous: I'm not sure yet if I will do Sea of Monsters next, it all depends.**

 **HaywireEagle: I know that Hercules, (or Heracles) is married to Hebe and is a god, but in this story it's his mortal side that's here, if that makes any sense. He was never a god is what I'm trying to say.**

 **Y** **ou are kind of a bitch, to put it nicely.**

 **And about the Nico comment, what I meant by it is that when Nico is gay he has a crush on Percy, kind of getting rid of the sibling feeling for a romantic one. I know I should have put it better so I apologize for that, trust me I support everyone for who they are, straight or not. So in this story Nico is not gay I'm sorry if you don't like that.**

 **Doclover: You'll have to read it find out ;)**

 **Okay I have three more things to say,**

 **First: go check out my new story The O.C!**

 **Second: I'm sorry I have to say this but I read a fanfiction were Percy couldn't drive because it was 'raining too hard' I seriously almost fell over laughing. Bitch I live in a rain forest, it rains hard at least once every two week and its raining for the remained of that time. You can drive just fine trust me.**

 **And Lastly: To make up for my absence next week you guys can ask me any question you want. Just review you question and I will deliver.**

 _ **XOXO~Beth2000**_

* * *

 _013116_


	18. A God Buys Us Cheese Burgers

**Hi before everyone kills me read the chapter, then read my reasons for not updating in five months. Thanks!**

* * *

"I bet it was one of those soft gods." Ares said loudly looking towards Demeter, Aphrodite, Hermes and Hephaestus. In turn they each turned at him while everyone else rolled their eyes. Grover, Annabeth, and Percy stiffened their laughs by coughing slightly before Grover started to read.

 **The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, our train rolled into Denver. We hadn't eaten since the night before in the dining car,**

"And you didn't die?" Thalia questioned referring to Percy's eating habits. "Oh trust me, I was about to."

 **somewhere in Kansas.**

Jason, Piper, and Percy all shivered.

 **We hadn't taken a shower since Half-Blood Hill, and I was sure that was obvious.  
"Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth said. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit."  
"We can't use phones, right?"  
"I'm not talking about phones."**

"How else do you communicate?" A roman questioned.

 **We wandered through downtown for about half an hour, though I wasn't sure what Annabeth was looking for. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. Everywhere we turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at me, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city.**

"All those damn references to the sea." Annabeth muttered to herself. Percy heard and laughed quietly, "As I said before it flows in my veins."

 **Finally we found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. We veered toward the stall farthest from the street, keeping our eyes open for patrol cars. We were three adolescents hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his doughnuts would figure we were up to no good.  
"What exactly are we doing?" I asked, as Grover took out the spray gun.**

"Yeah what are you doing?"

 **"It's seventy-five cents," he grumbled. "I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth?"**

 **"Don't look at me," she said. "The dining car wiped me out."  
I fished out my last bit of change and passed Grover a quarter, which left me two nickels and one drachma from Medusa's place.**

"Your screwed." Leo stated.

 **"Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping."  
"What are you talking about?"  
He fed in the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST. "I-M'ing."**

"Instant messaging?" Gwen asked.

 **"Instant messaging?"**

Percy smiled at Gwen, "Welcome to the Percy-think like club." "I think you meant think like Percy Seaweed brain." "Nope I'm pretty sure my ways right." Annabeth facepalmed after that.

 **"Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods."**

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" All the romans complained at the same time while the Greeks shrugged their shoulders.

 **"You summon the goddess with a spray gun?"**

"When you put it that way..." "It sounds stupid." Connor finished for his brother.

 **Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. "Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow."  
Sure enough, late afternoon light filtered through the vapor and broke into colors.  
Annabeth held her palm out to me. "Drachma, please."**

 **I handed it over.  
She raised the coin over her head. **

"Why did you hold over your head? It still works if you toss it." Nico question and Annabeth shrugged.

 **"O goddess, accept our offering."  
She threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared in a golden shimmer.  
"Half-Blood Hill," Annabeth requested.  
For a moment, nothing happened.  
Then I was looking through the mist at strawberry fields, and the Long Island Sound in the distance. We seemed to be on the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to us at the railing was a sandy- haired guy in shorts and an orange tank top. He was holding a bronze sword and seemed to be staring intently at something down in the meadow.  
"Luke!" I called.**

The older campers all groaned quietly.

 **He turned, eyes wide. I could swear he was standing three feet in front of me through a screen of mist, except I could only see the part of him that appeared in the rainbow.  
"Percy!" His scarred face broke into a grin. "Is that Annabeth, too? Thank the gods! Are you guys okay?"  
"We're ... uh ... fine," Annabeth stammered. She was madly straightening her dirty T-shirt, trying to comb the loose hair out of her face. **

Everyone was looking at Annabeth amused until she turned and glared at them. The only one still raising his eyebrows acussently was Percy. He was immune to her glares, put not her fist. And that's what he got. In the face. Everyone started howling with laughter, loudest was Hercules.

 **"We thought-Chiron-I mean-"  
"He's down at the cabins." Luke's smile faded. "We're having some issues with the campers. Listen, is everything cool with you? Is Grover all right?"**

"Like he cared." Said person grumbled to himself while his girlfriend cuddled into his side.

 **"I'm right here," Grover called. He held the nozzle out to one side and stepped into Luke's line of vision. "What kind of issues?"  
Just then a big Lincoln Continental pulled into the car wash with its stereo turned to maximum hip-hop. As the car slid into the next stall, the bass from the subwoofers vibrated so much, it shook the pavement.**

"Men." Artemis and Thalia said at the same time rolling their eyes. "Hey what makes you assume it was men, what if it was girls?" Hermes questioned. "If it was girls they would probably be blasting out Madonna." Artemis pointed out.

 **"Chiron had to-what's that noise?" Luke yelled.  
"I'll take care of it.'" Annabeth yelled back, looking very relieved to have an excuse to get out of sight. "Grover, come on!"  
"What?" Grover said. "But-"  
"Give Percy the nozzle and come on!" she ordered.**

"Life tip: Never ignore Annabeth's orders." Percy said very seriously, "Or else you get a, ahem, fist in the face." Everyone laughed until they saw Annabeth nodding.

 **Grover muttered something about girls being harder to understand than the Oracle at Delphi,**

"And now the Oracle is a girl." Will pointed out quietly.

 **then he handed me the spray gun and followed Annabeth.  
I readjusted the hose so I could keep the rainbow going and still see Luke.  
"Chiron had to break up a fight," Luke shouted to me over the music. "Things are pretty tense here, Percy. Word leaked out about the Zeus-Poseidon standoff. **

"Wonder who leaked it." Clarisse fumed.

 **We're still not sure how-probably the same scumbag who summoned the hellhound.**

All the veteran campers glared at the book.

 **Now the campers are starting to take sides. It's shaping up like the Trojan War all over again. Aphrodite, Ares, and Apollo are backing Poseidon, more or less. Athena is backing Zeus."**

Zeus glared at the gods who were mentioned taking Poseidon side. "Dad chill," Apollo cut in, "it hasn't even happened yet." That didn't help with the glare problem.

 **I shuddered to think that Clarisse's cabin would ever be on my dad's side for anything. In the next stall, I heard Annabeth and some guy**

Artemis looked pointedly at Hermes.

 **arguing with each other, then the music's volume decreased drastically.**

 **"So what's your status?" Luke asked me. "Chiron will be sorry he missed you."  
I told him pretty much everything, including my dreams. It felt so good to see him, to feel like I was back at camp even for a few minutes, that I didn't realize how long I had talked until the beeper went off on the spray machine, and I realized I only had one more minute before the water shut off.  
"I wish I could be there," Luke told me. "We can't help much from here, I'm afraid, but listen ... it had to be Hades who took the master bolt. **

Hades didn't even bother wasting his breath.

 **He was there at Olympus at the winter solstice. I was chaperoning a field trip and we saw him."  
"But Chiron said the gods can't take each other's magic items directly."  
"That's true," Luke said, looking troubled. "Still ... Hades has the helm of darkness. How could anybody else sneak into the throne room and steal the master bolt? You'd have to be invisible."**

Zeus redirected his glare the Hades, who rolled his eyes. Athena on the other time narrowed her eyes at the book then to her daughter. All the older campers gritted their teeth, "I wish I hit him with a hairbrush then." Rachel spat.

 **We were both silent, until Luke seemed to realize what he'd said.  
"Oh, hey," he protested. "I didn't mean Annabeth. **

Once again the king of the gods redirected his gaze.

 **She and I have known each other forever. She would never ... I mean, she's like a little sister to me."**

"Not to her!" Aphrodite sang out while Annabeth rolled her eyes blushing slightly.

 **I wondered if Annabeth would like that description. In the stall next to us, the music stopped completely. A man screamed in terror, car doors slammed, and the Lincoln peeled out of the car wash.**

"What did you do?" Frank questioned. "That's one secret I'll never tell." "She punched a guy six feet tall and knocked him out cold." "Wow Grover there goes all the mystery." Annabeth said laughing while everyone stared at her in shock. "Look at the, my girlfriend the badass." Percy said whistling in appreciation.

 **"You'd better go see what that was," Luke said. "Listen, are you wearing the flying shoes? I'll feel better if I know they've done you some good."  
"Oh ... uh, yeah!" I tried not to sound like a guilty liar. "Yeah, they've come in handy."**

 **"Really?" He grinned. "They fit and everything?"**

"Apparently your a good liar."

 **The water shut off. The mist started to evaporate.  
"Well, take care of yourself out there in Denver," Luke called, his voice getting fainter. "And tell Grover it'll be better this time! Nobody will get turned into a pine tree if he just-"**

Thalia groaned.

 **But the mist was gone, and Luke's image faded to nothing. I was alone in a wet, empty car wash stall.  
Annabeth and Grover came around the corner, laughing, but stopped when they saw my face. Annabeth's smile faded. "What happened, Percy? What did Luke say?"  
"Not much," I lied, my stomach feeling as empty as a Big Three cabin. "Come on, let's find some dinner."  
A few minutes later, we were sitting at a booth in a gleaming chrome diner. All around us, families were eating burgers and drinking malts and sodas.**

"How are you going to pay? Oh wait nevermind. Forgot the chapter name.." Leo trailed off awkwardly while everyone else was laughing.

 **Finally the waitress came over. She raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Well?"  
I said, "We, um, want to order dinner."  
"You kids have money to pay for it?"  
Grover's lower lip quivered. I was afraid he would start bleating, or worse, start eating the linoleum. Annabeth looked ready to pass out from hunger.**

 **I was trying to think up a sob story for the waitress when a rumble shook the whole building; a motorcycle the size of a baby elephant had pulled up to the curb.**

Everyone turned the Ares. "What were you saying about _a weak god_?" Hephaestus questioned. Ares turned and glared at him while the Romans looked at Percy. "You weren't lying when you said you meet him before." One finally said. "Well duh!"

 **All conversation in the diner stopped. The motorcycle's headlight glared red. Its gas tank had flames painted on it, and a shotgun holster riveted to either side, complete with shotguns. The seat was leather-but leather that looked like ... well, Caucasian human skin.**

Everyone turned slightly green at description. Are smiled with pride for a brief moment before turning to his sword and acting uninterested while cleaning it.

 **The guy on the bike would've made pro wrestlers run for Mama. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt and black jeans and a black leather duster, with a hunting knife strapped to his thigh. He wore red wraparound shades, and he had the cruelest, most brutal face I'd ever seen- handsome, I guess, but wicked-with an oily black crew cut and cheeks that were scarred from many, many fights. The weird thing was, I felt like I'd seen his face somewhere before.**

Some people made the connection while the others stared at the book in confusion.

 **As he walked into the diner, a hot, dry wind blew through the place. All the people rose, as if they were hypnotized, but the biker waved his hand dismissively and they all sat down again. Everybody went back to their conversations. The waitress blinked, as if somebody had just pressed the rewind button on her brain. She asked us again, "You kids have money to pay for it?"  
The biker said, "It's on me." **

You could tell Ares was confused by his own actions but he still didn't look away from his sword.

 **He slid into our booth, which was way too small for him, and crowded Annabeth against the window.  
He looked up at the waitress, who was gaping at him, and said, "Are you still here?"  
He pointed at her, and she stiffened. She turned as if she'd been spun around, then marched back toward the kitchen.  
The biker looked at me. I couldn't see his eyes behind the red shades, but bad feelings started boiling in my stomach. Anger, resentment, bitterness. I wanted to hit a wall. I wanted to pick a fight with somebody. Who did this guy think he was?**

"He tends to have that effect on everyone." Athena said with distaste.

 **He gave me a wicked grin. "So you're old Seaweed's kid, huh?"**

 **I should've been surprised, or scared, but instead I felt like I was looking at my step dad, Gabe. I wanted to rip this guy's head off. "What's it to you?"**

Everyone raised an eyebrow at Percy, Ares and Hercules included. Even if you learnt about god a week ago you no never to talk back to them.

 **Annabeth's eyes flashed me a warning. "Percy, this is-"  
The biker raised his hand.  
"S'okay," he said. "I don't mind a little attitude. Long as you remember who's the boss. You know who I am, little cousin?"**

"Godly families are too confusing." Percy said shaking his head. Hercules and Zeus shared a look before rolling their eyes.

 **Then it struck me why this guy looked familiar. He had the same vicious sneer as some of the kids at Camp Half-Blood, the ones from cabin five.**

"Oh."

 **"You're Clarisse's dad," I said. "Ares, god of war."  
Ares grinned and took off his shades. Where his eyes should've been, there was only fire, empty sockets glowing with miniature nuclear explosions. "That's right, punk. I heard you broke Clarisse's spear."  
"She was asking for it."  
"Probably. That's cool. **

Clarisse rolled her eyes, "Thanks dad."

 **I don't fight my kids' fights, you know? What I'm here for-I heard you were in town. I got a**

 **little proposition for you."**

All the god shook their heads figuring that was the reason for the god's presence.

 **The waitress came back with heaping trays of food-cheeseburgers, fries, onion rings, and chocolate shakes.  
Ares handed her a few gold drachmas.**

 **She looked nervously at the coins. "But, these aren't..."  
Ares pulled out his huge knife and started cleaning his fingernails. "Problem, sweetheart?"**

Many of the gods glared at the god, who was still cleaning his sword. Apparently it was filthy.

 **The waitress swallowed, then left with the gold.  
"You can't do that," I told Ares. "You can't just threaten people with a knife." **

Hera looked pointedly at Ares, as if to say _see even he know that._

 **Ares laughed. "Are you kidding? I love this country. Best place since Sparta. Don't you carry a weapon, punk? You should. Dangerous world out there. Which brings me to my proposition. I need you to do me a favor."  
"What favor could I do for a god?"**

"Pretty much everything."

 **"Something a god doesn't have time to do himself. It's nothing much. I left my shield at an abandoned water park here in town. I was going on a little ... date with my girlfriend.**

Hephaestus turned and glared at Aphrodite and Ares.

 **We were interrupted. I left my shield behind. I want you to fetch it for me."  
"Why don't you go back and get it yourself?"  
The fire in his eye sockets glowed a little hotter.  
"Why don't I turn you into a prairie dog and run you over with my Harley? Because I don't feel like it. A god is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself, Percy Jackson. Will you prove yourself a coward?"**

Everyone snorted. "He already proved he's not."

 **He leaned forward. "Or maybe you only fight when there's a river to dive into, so your daddy can protect you."**

Hercule smiled, finally someone saw through the fraud.

 **I wanted to punch this guy, but somehow, I knew he was waiting for that. Ares's power was causing my anger.**

"Why isn't it right now?" Katie asked. "When all the gods are together they balance and cancel out each others powers." Athena answered.

 **He'd love it if I attacked. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.  
"We're not interested," I said. "We've already got a quest."  
Ares's fiery eyes made me see things I didn't want to see-blood and smoke and corpses on the battlefield. "I know all about your quest, punk. When that item was first stolen, Zeus sent his best out looking for it: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, and me, naturally. If I couldn't sniff out a weapon that powerful ..." He licked his lips, as if the very thought of the master bolt made him hungry. **

Hearing that Zeus moved a bit farther away from his son.

 **"Well ... if I couldn't find it, you got no hope. Nevertheless, I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. Your dad and I go way back. After all, I'm the one who told him my suspicions about old Corpse Breath."**

Hades turned and glared at him.

 **"You told him Hades stole the bolt?"  
"Sure. Framing somebody to start a war. Oldest trick in the book. I recognized it immediately. In a way, you got me to thank for your little quest."**

Everyone else joined Hades.

 **"Thanks," I grumbled.  
"Hey, I'm a generous guy. Just do my little job, and I'll help you on your way. I'll arrange a ride west for you and your friends."  
"We're doing fine on our own."  
"Yeah, right. No money. No wheels. No clue what you're up against. Help me out, and maybe I'll tell you something you need to know. Something about your mom."**

Aphrodite stopped glaring at Ares, she couldn't even stand the sight of him, her husband on the other hand...

 **"My mom?"**

 **He grinned. "That got your attention. The water park is a mile west on Delancy. You can't miss it. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride."  
"What interrupted your date?" I asked. "Something scare you off?"  
Ares bared his teeth, but I'd seen his threatening look before on Clarisse. There was something false about it, almost like he was nervous.**

Hephaestus nodded his head in approval.

 **"You're lucky you met me, punk, and not one of the other Olympians. They're not as forgiving of rudeness as I am.**

"I will give you that including your the one that makes them rude." Demeter said.

 **I'll meet you back here when you're done. Don't disappoint me."  
After that I must have fainted, or fallen into a trance, **

"Which one was it?" Reyna asked. Annabeth answered, "I think it was a trance but I'm not positive."

 **because when I opened my eyes again, Ares was gone. I might've thought the conversation had been a dream, but Annabeth and Grover's expressions told me otherwise.  
"Not good," Grover said. "Ares sought you out, Percy. This is not good."**

"Not good at all."

 **I stared out the window. The motorcycle had disappeared.  
Did Ares really know something about my mom, or was he just playing with me? **

"He better not be." Poseidon grumbled

 **Now that he was gone, all the anger had drained out of me. I realized Ares must love to mess with people's emotions. That was his power-cranking up the passions so badly, they clouded your ability to think.**

"See Ares that's why no one likes you." Hermes joked, all he got in return a glare.

 **"It's probably some kind of trick," I said. "Forget Ares. Let's just go."**

"I don't think defying a God is smart." Jason stated. Everyone nodded their head but Percy who shrugged.

 **"We can't," Annabeth said. "Look, I hate Ares as much as anybody, but you don't ignore the gods unless you want serious bad fortune. He wasn't kidding about turning you into a rodent."**

"Yeah been there, done that don't want to do it again thank you." Percy whispered in Annabeth's ear while she laughed.

 **I looked down at my cheeseburger, which suddenly didn't seem so appetizing. "Why does he need us?"**

 **"Maybe it's a problem that requires brains," Annabeth said. "Ares has strength. That's all he has. Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes."**

Ares was about to say something when a straight but smug look from Athena cut him off.

 **"But this water park ... he acted almost scared. What would make a war god run away like that?"**

"Nothing good." Jake said smiling at his dad.

 **Annabeth and Grover glanced nervously at each other.  
Annabeth said, "I'm afraid we'll have to find out."  
The sun was sinking behind the mountains by the time we found the water park. Judging from the sign, it once had been called WATERLAND, but now some of the letters were smashed out, so it read WAT R A D.**

"I personally like the Wat rad better." Percy in a terrible British accent which earned laughs and an eye roll. (And you can guess which person that was.)

 **The main gate was padlocked and topped with barbed wire. Inside, huge dry waterslides and tubes and pipes curled everywhere, leading to empty pools. Old tickets and advertisements fluttered around the asphalt. With night coming on, the place looked sad and creepy.**

"Oh joy." Piper said sarcastically.

 **"If Ares brings his girlfriend here for a date," I said, staring up at the barbed wire, "I'd hate to see what she looks like."**

"Hey!"

 **"Percy," Annabeth warned. "Be more respectful."**

"Yeah!"

 **"Why? I thought you hated Ares."  
"He's still a god. And his girlfriend is very temperamental."**

"Yea-HEY!" "Shut up Aphrodite!"

 **"You don't want to insult her looks," Grover added.**

 **"Who is she? Echidna?"**

"No." Artemis said before Aphrodite could say anything else.

 **"No, Aphrodite," Grover said, a little dreamily. "Goddess of love."**

Aphrodite gave a little nod of approval towards Grover.

 **"I thought she was married to somebody," I said. "Hephaestus."**

Said god sent a pointed look towards his wife.

 **"What's your point?" he asked.  
"Oh." I suddenly felt the need to change the subject. "So how do we get in?"  
"Maia!" Grover's shoes sprouted wings.  
He flew over the fence, did an unintended somersault in midair, then stumbled to a landing on the opposite side. He dusted off his jeans, as if he'd planned the whole thing. **

"Did you really plan that all?" Leo asked fascinated. Grover looked over confused, "Of course." He answered sarcasticly. "Wow that must have taken forever because you would have to plan for different heights and-" He cut off with Calypso whispering something in his ear while everyone else laughed. He turned bright red after Calypso leaning away giggling, "Oh... um just kidding he was being sarcastic..."

 **"You guys coming?"  
Annabeth and I had to climb the old-fashioned way, holding down the barbed wire for each other as we crawled over the top.  
The shadows grew long as we walked through the park, checking out the attractions. There was Ankle Biter Island, Head Over Wedgie, and Dude, Where's My Swimsuit?  
No monsters came to get us. Nothing made the slightest noise.**

"That's a first."

 **We found a souvenir shop that had been left open. Merchandise still lined the shelves: snow globes, pencils, postcards, and racks of- "Clothes," Annabeth said. "Fresh clothes."**

 **"Yeah," I said. "But you can't just-"**

 **"Watch me."**

"Oh sass!" Travis said snapping his hands in a z formation.

 **She snatched an entire row of stuff of the racks and disappeared into the changing room. A few minutes later she came out in Waterland flower-print shorts, a big red Waterland T-shirt, and commemorative Waterland surf shoes. A Waterland backpack was slung over her shoulder, obviously stuffed with more goodies.**

 **"What the heck." Grover shrugged. Soon, all three of us were decked out like walking advertisements for the defunct theme park.**

"Sounds okay until you put it like that."

 **We continued searching for the Tunnel of Love. I got the feeling that the whole park was holding its breath. "So Ares and Aphrodite," I said, to keep my mind off the grow-ing dark, "they have a thing going?"**

All the gods snorted.

 **"That's old gossip, Percy," Annabeth told me. "Three-thousand-year-old gossip."**

 **"What about Aphrodite's husband?"**

 **"Well, you know," she said. "Hephaestus. The black-smith. He was crippled when he was a baby, thrown off Mount Olympus by Zeus. So he isn't exactly handsome. Clever with his hands, and all, but Aphrodite isn't into brains and talent, you know?"**

 **"She likes bikers."**

 **"Whatever."**

"You just enjoyed ticking me off didn't you?" Annabeth said laughing. Percy blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his neck, "It not like it was intentonal." "Don't worry I'm bugging you seawees brain." She said kissing his cheek.

 **"Hephaestus knows?"**

 **"Oh sure," Annabeth said. "He caught them together once. I mean, literally caught them, in a golden net, and invited all the gods to come and laugh at them. Hephaestus is always trying to embarrass them. That's why they meet in out-of-the-way places, like ..."**

 **She stopped, looking straight ahead. "Like that."**

 **In front of us was an empty pool that would've been awesome for skateboarding.**

 **It was at least fifty yards across and shaped like a bowl.**

All the boys groaned at the thought.

 **Around the rim, a dozen bronze statues of Cupid stood guard with wings spread and bows ready to fire. On the opposite side from us, a tunnel opened up, probably where the water flowed into when the pool was full. The sign above it read, THRILL RIDE O' LOVE: THIS IS NOT YOUR PARENTS' TUNNEL OF LOVE!**

"Why am I not shocked Aphrodite would be there?" Hermes whispered to Apollo.

 **Grover crept toward the edge. "Guys, look."**

 **Marooned at the bottom of the pool was a pink-and-white two-seater boat with a canopy over the top and little hearts painted all over it. In the left seat, glinting in the fading light, was Ares's shield, a polished circle of bronze.**

 **"This is too easy," I said. "So we just walk down there and get it?"**

 **Annabeth ran her fingers along the base of the nearest Cupid statue.**

 **"There's a Greek letter carved here," she said. "Eta. I wonder ..."**

At once most of the gods paled knowing what they were getting into.

 **"Grover," I said, "you smell any monsters?"**

 **He sniffed the wind. "Nothing."**

 **"Nothing-like, in-the-Arch-and-you-didn't-smell-Echidna nothing, or really nothing?"**

Jason looked at Percy and said, "Low blow dude." Percy winced, "So

 **Grover looked hurt. "I told you, that was underground."**

 **"Okay, I'm sorry." I took a deep breath. "I'm going down there."**

 **"I'll go with you." Grover didn't sound too enthusiastic, but I got the feeling he was trying to make up for what had happened in St. Louis.**

"You didn't have to you." "Well I kind of did, I mean you did decide to take a high dive." He joked. "But still."

 **"No," I told him. "I want you to stay up top with the flying shoes. You're the Red Baron, a flying ace, remember? I'll be counting on you for backup, in case something goes wrong."**

 **Grover puffed up his chest a little. "Sure. But what could go wrong?"**

"A lot." Everyone answered.

 **"I don't know. Just a feeling. Annabeth, come with me-"**

 **"Are you kidding?" She looked at me as if I'd just dropped from the moon. Her cheeks were bright red.**

 **"What's the problem now?" I demanded.**

 **"Me, go with you to the ... the 'Thrill Ride of Love'? How embarrassing is that? What if somebody saw me?"**

Thalia groaned, "Really Annabeth." She blushed and hide her face in her boyfriends shoulder.

 **"Who's going to see you?" But my face was burning now, too. Leave it to a girl to make everything complicated.**

"Tell me about it." All the guys said while the girls smacked their shoulders.

 **"Fine," I told her. "I'll do it myself." But when I started down the side of the pool, she followed me, muttering about how boys always messed things up.**

 **We reached the boat. The shield was propped on one seat, and next to it was a lady's silk scarf.**

"Oh great."

 **I tried to imagine Ares and Aphrodite here, a couple of gods meeting in a junked-out amusement-park ride. Why?**

"I was wondering the same thing." Achilles said.

 **Then I noticed something I hadn't seen from up top: mirrors all the way around the rim of the pool, facing this spot. We could see ourselves no matter which direction we looked. That must be it. While Ares and Aphrodite were smooching with each other they could look at their favorite people: themselves.**

"And the world makes sense again." Theseus said ignoring the two glares he got.

 **I picked up the scarf.**

"Oh don't do that." Perseus warned.

 **It shimmered pink, and the perfume was indescribable-rose, or mountain laurel. Something good. I smiled, a little dreamy, and was about to rub the scarf against my cheek when Annabeth ripped it out of my hand and stuffed it in her pocket.**

"Thank you." Perseus said to Annabeth

 **"Oh, no you don't. Stay away from that love magic."**

 **"What?"**

 **"Just get the shield, Seaweed Brain, and let's get out of here."**

 **The moment I touched the shield, I knew we were in trouble.**

"Oh no!"

 **My hand broke through something that had been connecting it to the dashboard. A cobweb, I thought, but then I looked at a strand of it on my palm and saw it was some kind of metal filament, so fine it was almost invisible. A trip wire.**

"Double oh no!"

 **"Wait," Annabeth said.**

 **"Too late."**

 **"There's another Greek letter on the side of the boat, another Eta. This is a trap."**

 **Noise erupted all around us, of a million gears grinding, as if the whole pool were turning into one giant machine.**

"Triple oh no!" "Shut up Leo"

 **Grover yelled, "Guys!"**

 **Up on the rim, the Cupid statues were drawing their bows into firing position. Before I could suggest taking cover, they shot, but not at us. They fired at each other, across the rim of the pool. Silky cables trailed from the arrows, arcing over the pool and anchoring where they landed to form a huge golden asterisk. Then smaller metallic threads started weaving together magically between the main strands, making a net.**

"You know what," Hermes said, looking at Hephaestus, "I'm with Leo on this one, oh no!"

 **"We have to get out," I said.**

 **"Duh!" Annabeth said.**

 **I grabbed the shield and we ran, but going up the slope of the pool was not as easy as going down.**

 **"Come on!" Grover shouted.**

 **He was trying to hold open a section of the net for us, but wherever he touched it, the golden threads started to wrap around his hands.**

"Gods does anything go right on this quest?" Thalia asked. Annabeth, Percy, and Grover looked at each other, and turned away smiling.

 **The Cupids' heads popped open. Out came video cameras. Spotlights rose up all around the pool, blinding us with illumination, and a loudspeaker voice boomed: "Live to Olympus in one minute ... Fifty-nine seconds, fifty-eight ..."**

Every god turned and looked at Hephaestus in a _really?_ expression.

 **"Hephaestus!" Annabeth screamed. "I'm so stupid.' Eta is H.' He made this trap to catch his wife with Ares. Now we're going to be broadcast live to Olympus and look like absolute fools!"**

"Fish boy does that by himself." Hercules whispered to Octavian, who snickered to himself.

 **We'd almost made it to the rim when the row of mirrors opened like hatches and thousands of tiny metallic ... things poured out.**

 **Annabeth screamed.**

 **It was an army of wind-up creepy-crawlies: bronze-gear bodies, spindly legs, little pincer mouths, all scuttling toward us in a wave of clacking, whirring metal.**

"Here we go." Nico whispered, laughing as all the Athena kids paled, and started to squirm. At the same time Leo said, "I'm confused."

 **"Spiders!" Annabeth said. "Sp-sp-aaaah!"**

"Oh that makes sense."

 **I'd never seen her like this before. She fell backward in terror and almost got overwhelmed by the spider robots before I pulled her up and dragged her back toward the boat.**

"Stupid Arachne." Annabeth whispered and then shook from the memories. Percy tightened his grip on her.

 **The things were coming out from all around the rim now, millions of them, flooding toward the center of the pool, completely surrounding us. I told myself they probably weren't programmed to kill, just corral us and bite us and make us look stupid. Then again, this was a trap meant for gods. And we weren't gods.**

"No!" A little first year camper squeaked in fear.

 **Annabeth and I climbed into the boat. I started kicking away the spiders as they swarmed aboard. I yelled at Annabeth to help me, but she was too paralyzed to do much more than scream.**

 **"Thirty, twenty-nine," called the loudspeaker.**

 **The spiders started spitting out strands of metal thread, trying to tie us down. The strands were easy enough to break at first, but there were so many of them, and the spiders just kept coming. I kicked one away from Annabeth's leg and its pincers took a chunk out of my new surf shoe.**

"This is not going to end well." Achilles said closing his eyes as if that would magically make the story get better.

 **Grover hovered above the pool in his flying sneakers, trying to pull the net loose, but it wouldn't budge.**

 **Think, I told myself. Think.**

"Like him thinking would make a difference." Hercules said not too quietly and got a lot of glares in return.

 **The Tunnel of Love entrance was under the net. We could use it as an exit, except that it was blocked by a million robot spiders.**

 **"Fifteen, fourteen," the loudspeaker called.**

 **Water, I thought. Where does the ride's water come from?**

 **Then I saw them: huge water pipes behind the mirrors, where the spiders had come from. And up above the net, next to one of the Cupids, a glass-windowed booth that must be the controller's station.**

 **"Grover!" I yelled. "Get into that booth! Find the 'on' switch!"**

 **"But-"**

 **"Do it!" It was a crazy hope, but it was our only chance. The spiders were all over the prow of the boat now. Annabeth was screaming her head off. I had to get us out of there.**

 **Grover was in the controller's booth now, slamming away at the buttons.**

 **"Five, four-"**

 **Grover looked up at me hopelessly, raising his hands. He was letting me know that he'd pushed every button, but still nothing was happening.**

Everyone was now on the edge of their seats.

 **I closed my eyes and thought about waves, rushing water, the Mississippi River. I felt a familiar tug in my gut. I tried to imagine that I was dragging the ocean all the way to Denver.**

 **"Two, one, zero!"**

 **Water exploded out of the pipes.**

"YEAH!" Everyone cheered.

 **It roared into the pool, sweeping away the spiders. I pulled Annabeth into the seat next to me and fastened her seat belt just as the tidal wave slammed into our boat, over the top, whisking the spiders away and dousing us completely, but not capsizing us. The boat turned, lifted in the flood, and spun in circles around the whirlpool.**

 **The water was full of short-circuiting spiders, some of them smashing against the pool's concrete wall with such force they burst.**

Hephaestus looked away from the book, knowing how long each of those spiders take to make.

 **Spotlights glared down at us. The Cupid-cams were rolling, live to Olympus.**

"Great." Jason said sarcastically.

 **But I could only concentrate on controlling the boat. I willed it to ride the current, to keep away from the wall. Maybe it was my imagination, but the boat seemed to respond. At least, it didn't break into a million pieces. We spun around one last time, the water level now almost high enough to shred us against the metal net. Then the boat's nose turned toward the tunnel and we rocketed through into the darkness.**

 **Annabeth and I held tight, both of us screaming as the boat shot curls and hugged corners and took forty-five-degree plunges past pictures of Romeo and Juliet and a bunch of other Valentine's Day stuff.**

"Now that was a cute couple!" Aphrodite squealed losing concern for the story for a few seconds.

 **Then we were out of the tunnel, the night air whistling through our hair as the boat barreled straight toward the exit.**

"Finally!" Piper cheered.

 **If the ride had been in working order, we would've sailed off a ramp between the golden Gates of Love and splashed down safely in the exit pool. But there was a problem. The Gates of Love were chained. Two boats that had been washed out of the tunnel before us were now piled against the barricade-one submerged, the other cracked in half.**

"I take back my previous statement."

 **"Unfasten your seat belt," I yelled to Annabeth.**

 **"Are you crazy?"**

 **"Unless you want to get smashed to death." I strapped Ares's shield to my arm. "We're going to have to jump for it." My idea was simple and insane.**

"So nothing out of the ordinary." Travis said smirking.

 **As the boat struck, we would use its force like a springboard to jump the gate. I'd heard of people surviving car crashes that way, getting thrown thirty or forty feet away from an accident. With luck, we would land in the pool.**

"That not actually a bad plan." Malcolm said surprised.

 **Annabeth seemed to understand. She gripped my hand as the gates got closer.**

 **"On my mark," I said.**

 **"No! On my mark!"**

 **"What?"**

 **"Simple physics!" she yelled. "Force times the trajectory angle-"**

 **"Fine.'" I shouted. "On your mark!"**

Everyone laughed slightly.

 **She hesitated ... hesitated ... then yelled, "Now!"**

 **Crack!**

 **Annabeth was right.**

"Anything new?" Annabeth asked. "Nope nothing at all." Percy replied smiling down at her.

 **If we'd jumped when I thought we should've, we would've crashed into the gates. She got us maximum lift.**

 **Unfortunately, that was a little more than we needed. Our boat smashed into the pileup and we were thrown into the air, straight over the gates, over the pool, and down toward solid asphalt.**

"Oh gods."

 **Something grabbed me from behind.**

 **Annabeth yelled, "Ouch!"**

 **Grover!**

"Yeah Grover!" Everyone cheered.

 **In midair, he had grabbed me by the shirt, and Annabeth by the arm, and was trying to pull us out of a crash landing, but Annabeth and I had all the momentum.**

"It will slow you down though." Athena said in relief.

 **"You're too heavy!" Grover said. "We're going down!"**

 **We spiraled toward the ground, Grover doing his best to slow the fall.**

 **We smashed into a photo-board, Grover's head going straight into the hole where tourists would put their faces, pretending to be Noo-Noo the Friendly Whale.**

Everyone laughed while Grover turned a deep red.

 **Annabeth and I tumbled to the ground, banged up but alive. Ares's shield was still on my arm.**

 **Once we caught our breath, Annabeth and I got Grover out of the photo-board and thanked him for saving our lives. I looked back at the Thrill Ride of Love. The water was subsiding. Our boat had been smashed to pieces against the gates.**

 **A hundred yards away, at the entrance pool, the Cupids were still filming. The statues had swiveled so that their cameras were trained straight on us, the spotlights in our faces.**

 **"Show's over!" I yelled. "Thank you! Good night!"**

Everyone started killing themselves laughing. "Oh gods Perce, you have guts!" Apollo said rolling on the floor laughing.

 **The Cupids turned back to their original positions. The lights shut off. The park went quiet and dark again, except for the gentle trickle of water into the Thrill Ride of Love's exit pool. I wondered if Olympus had gone to a commercial break, or if our ratings had been any good.**

Annabeth looked at Percy with a raised eyebrow, "That what you thought about, our ratings?" Percy laughed and shrugged.

 **I hated being teased. I hated being tricked. And I had plenty of experience handling bullies who liked to do that stuff to me. I hefted the shield on my arm and turned to my friends. "We need to have a little talk with Ares."**

All the veterans from Camp Half-Blood turned to look at Ares and said, "You're screwed." In perfect sync. For a split second the war god looked slightly scared before he rolled his eyes and looked the opposite way. "The chapter's over, who's reading next?" Grover asked. "I guess I will." Rachel volunteered after no one else did.

 **We take a zebra to Vegas.**

 **Okay so here goes the explaining part. So I really don't know what happened, I guess I just panicked thinking on how much I promised to complete and my brilliant mind decided the best way to work it out is to ignore it. And then my computer had to get fixed, but at the time I was still ignoring my panicking. Finally June came around am I finally figured out I still really want to continue this story, but first I had to get through my nine exams. But anyway I'm back and I have all summer to complete this story. I am hopping I update at least one every two weeks now, but I am truly sorry for making everyone wait.**

 **And now time for response to everyone's reviews. (And thanks so much for the 240 reviews! 3)**

 **I'mAgentCaliforniaSuckIt: I really don't know who said "Cookies!" But it was someone for the story. So you can decide who it was.**

 **JustAnotherFan15: Don't worry I will have the old heroes warm up to Percy, (They are already, slightly...) And I will try to make them talk more too so you don't forget them! ;)**

 **GryffindorkofOz: You should definitely expect more updates. :)**

 **LaughingLadybug: I thought that all the old heroes should be there for every story so that way they don't just join and become extremely confused.**

 **The Undying Will: I don't know what that is so no.**

 **Nocturnal Storyteller: Don't worry I am! ;)**

 **D: Confused my your comment but okay?**

 **Dianne: I really worded my self wrong. I originally didn't like Nico being gay because of him and Will. I thought that Will was like nineteen and Nico was eleven, so I found it extremely creepy. But then I read a Solangelo fic and I really loved them. So I now regret saying tht so much so I promise I will go back and fix that chapter (If I can) and I will also be adding some Solangelo into the story. (just not yet) But I am so sorry I came across as such a Bitch, it was never my intention.**

 **Me: Thanks!**

 **GrammerJew: I did not know that fact so that probably explains why Perseus refers to him as his half brother. And since I didn't know that from the start I am going to keep them only half brother.**

 **D: I don't know who Bellerophon is so can't add him. And I wanted Octavian there because I feel he could add evem more to the story because he already hates Percy.**

 **Chise Sakamoto: I added it in there for you ;)**

 **Tovelevin: I am not sure yet if I will do the rest of the series (right now I kind of want to) But I will not be doing the lost heroes one, as I don't really like two of the three main characters but I might so some parts of the Heroes of Olympus.**

 **likethebossiam: The twist was Percy feeling all the pain/the old heroes. But there might be even more ;)**

 **PercabethOTP996: I think I will be, but I'm not a hundred percent sure yet. And I'm in the year of the dragon if you can figure out my age ;)**

 **TheUnicornNarwhale: First off awesome name, and second off I'm think about but I'm not sure (Lol I don't even know if I have mentioned it before)**

 **Leylisfriends2000: Yeah um sorry about the wait...**

 **awestruck 2409: Yeah don't think my absence is okay anymore...**

 **Also Happy Canada Day! 3 3**


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